Tutoring A Dragon
by slytherinrules85
Summary: Hermione is in her seventh year at Hogwarts, and a few things have already gone wrong with her life: her friends won't talk to her, she's tutoring her worst enemy, and she has started to think that Draco Malfoy is attractive...COMPLETE & AU
1. The Day It All Began

One  
  
As she was walking from McGonagall's office Hermione Granger, Muggleborn witch and seventh year Gryffindor contemplated the decision she'd just made.  
  
"Can't believe I accepted--or did I volunteer?--McGonagall's offer to let me be a tutor. What Harry and Ron are going to say I haven't a clue-" She was cut off of her mumblings and moanings by coming up on the portrait of the Fat Lady.  
  
"As you are the first prefect I've seen today, young lady, you get to set the password for the next week," said the Fat Lady.  
  
"Oh, I guess I do then," said Hermione, not really thinking. "Tudor."  
  
"Excuse me?" said the Fat Lady. "What kind of a password is 'Tutor'?"  
  
"Not 'tutor', 'Tudor'. You know the House of Tudor? The one where Queen Elizabeth I came from." Hermione rolled her eyes discretly. This was coming from a portrait who could remember when Elizabeth came to Hogwarts.  
  
"Very well, then. Tudor it is," the Fat Lady said, sniffing imperiously and swung open.  
  
It was a Saturday, and a cold one, so most of the Gryffindors stayed in their warm tower. Including almost all the prefects and Harry.  
  
Harry and Ron were playing Exploding Snap beside the fireplace. Something happened that Hermione didn't see, and it resulted in Harry winning that round. Ron grumbled, and said something to Harry, who nodded and picked up the cards and put them away.  
  
Hermione stalked over to them, sat on a couch, buried her head in a pillow and screamed.  
  
"What's the matter, love?" asked Ron. He had recently told Hermione how he felt about her and felt perfectly secure calling her terms of indearment.  
  
"I just bloody accepted--or did I volunteer?--McGonagall's offer for me to be a tutor. First sodding month of seventh year, and I get stuck with tutoring some dense kid," Hermione said before she screamed into the pillow again.  
  
"Who'd you get, Herms?" asked Harry, ignoring Ron.  
  
"I don't know. We aren't allowed to tutor kids from our own House, so it'll be someone from Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or, ick, Slytherin. McGonagall said that I'll meet him--or her, Ron--tomorrow at seven in the Library. So, immediately after dinner I'll be going there."  
  
"What are you tutoring this person in, love?"  
  
Hermione looked at Harry and rolled her eyes; Harry followed her example.  
  
"Um, Transfiguration, Care of Magical Creatures, and Herbology. Charms, maybe. It depends if he/she wants me to."  
  
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Hermione walked into the Library on Sunday. She was tired already, having spent the whole day playing and all-castle game of hide-and-go-seek with Harry, Ron, Ginny, Neville, Parvati, Lavender, and Luna. It took hours for Harry (who was it) to find all of them, seeing that they'd run and hide when he got anywhere near them. Still, it was hilarious fun, since the people who were hiding had enchanted walkie-talkies to communnicate with. Or, more likely to tell how Harry had almost caught them and to tell the others which way he was going now. All the other students thought them extremely silly, especially the Slytherins, who laughed loudly and sardonically whenever they caught sight of the Gryffindors. Back to the subject, however. Hermione looked everywhere until there was only the Muggle Studies section left. She trudged towards it, grumbling. As she turned the corner she saw the person she least expected to see.  
  
Draco Malfoy had changed since their fifth year. He had gotten to be about six and a half feet tall. He no longer wore his hair greased back, he'd grown it out and spent a great deal of his time tucking it behind his ears, or tossing his head back to get it out of his eyes. He also had worked out, to all appearances, and, needless to say, he looked good. He wore a lot of black robes, most likely to show off his sliver-gray eyes and pale, shoulder length hair. But the most shocking thing that had changed about him was that he wore black Muggle motorcycle boots.  
  
But, then again, Hermione had changed too. She had grown to be about five feet eight, which wasn't that tall, just a bit above average. She'd worked out a spell to de-frizz her hair, so it now fell to the middle of her back in blond-streaked chocolate brown soft curls. She'd started to run, during the summer, and she kept it up at Hogwarts, too. Every day she ran around the lake, and to do so she got up at five. Her eyes had changed from muddy brown to a golden hazel color. Her favorite robes to wear (besides her school robes) were Muggle blue jeans and a sweater. She was wearing them that evening, when she turned that corner.  
  
"Malfoy?" she said, shocked. McGonagall had told her that she had be requested by the person she would be tutoring, so she had thought it would be a Hufflepuff or a Ravenclaw for certain. But Malfoy? Never in a thousand years.  
  
"Yeah, that's right Granger. Me, Malfoy. I requested for you to tutor me, alright. So get over your shock here and now, because you'll be seeing more of me," he drawled as he saw her shocked expression.  
  
"Why?" she asked, still shocked beyond many words.  
  
"Why? Well, because you are the smartest person in this whole sodding school and because I want to piss off my father. He'll be right ticked when he finds out that my tutor is a Gryffindor and a Mudblood, no less. So put your books down dirty-blood and we can get started." He sneared at her. An amused kind of snear, but a snear nevertheless.  
  
Hermione glared at him. Little did she know that he'd watched them play that afternoon, almost hoping he would be able to join them in their frivolty. But no, he was a Malfoy, and a Malfoy never had fun outside of his work for the Dark Lord, of course.  
  
"Well, then let's get started," she said grudgingly. "The sooner we start, the sooner you'll learn, and the sooner I'll get you off my hands, so to speak."  
  
He looked at her, puzzled. "What does-" he started.  
  
"It's a Muggle expression. It means that the sooner that you learn what I'm to tutor you in; the sooner I can be rid of you," she said quickly, interupting him.  
  
"Oh," he said. "Well I need help in Transfiguration more than anything else, so..."  
  
Hermione pulled a book out of her bag and sighed. This was going to be a long night.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
She climbed through the portrait hole around eleven and stomped over to yet another couch and screamed into a pillow again. She stopped five minutes later when Ron tapped on her shoulder tenuously, and flinched when she whipped up and around to look at him.  
  
"What?" she snapped.  
  
He flinched. "How did your tutoring session go, love?" he asked warily.  
  
Just then Harry tumbled into the common room. His clothes and hair were tousled, and his glasses were hanging off his right ear.  
  
"Harry!" exclaimed Hermione, rushing over to him.  
  
"What's the matter mate?" asked Ron.  
  
"Malfoy...corridor in front of the Library...started it, not me...got a few swings in after he insulted my mum..." Harry gasped out. He was on edge lately, since it was his seventh year; the year he would duel with the Dark.  
  
Hermione wrung her hands. To take her friends side, or to take her pupils side? What to do, what to do....  
  
"I do wish you wouldn't respond to him, Harry. That's why he so mean; he likes the reaction he gets out you, Ron, and me. If we stopped reacting to him, he wouldn't insult us as much." Or he would insult us more, she thought.  
  
He looked up at her strangely. "Why are you defending him, Herms? You don't like him, do you? Oh, God I hope not," he said as if the idea was poison on his tongue.  
  
"No, of course not, Harry. It's just....You asked how my tutoring session went, Ron?" Ron nodded. "Well, I'm tutoring Malfoy. Aparently he asked specifically for me."  
  
Ron and Harry stared at her, open-mouthed in horror. "Why, Hermione?" was the first thing out of their mouths after ten minutes of uncomfortable silence.  
  
She shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe because him asking for my help is sort of like he's admitting a Muggleborn can know more about a subject than a pureblood can. And that tutoring him is like lording that over him. So, maybe subcontiously I'm extracting revenge from him. And now I'm going to bed so I can subconsiously prepare for tomorrow. Night Ron, Harry." And, with that she stomped upstairs to the seventh year girls' dormatory, where she pulled off her jeans and sweater and put on a pair of leopared print pajamas and crawled into bed to sleep off Malfoy-jitters.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione put on her uniform, and glared at her roommates, who were talking about some Quidditch player from Scotland. And giggling, endless giggling. It got annoying after the first, oh, five seconds. As she left, she heard them start in on her. She sighed and rolled her eyes as she clomped down the stairs to meet Ron and Harry to go to breakfast.  
  
"Alright there Hermione?" asked Ron as slung an arm around her waist.  
  
She looked up at him. "Remove your arm, Ronald Weasley. Or so help me God, I will write your mother!"  
  
He turned paler than usual, making him look like a carrot. "No need to threaten me, Herms. And you know mum would fry me like a piece of bacon if she knew about us," he said, grinning.  
  
Hermione looked at Harry who rolled his eyes. "Ron, mate, how many times do I have to tell you? I don't think she's interested. You should get used to it," said Harry tiredly.  
  
They walked into the Great Hall to be met by a smirking Malfoy.  
  
"Hey, there, Granger. Ready to tutor me tonight? I'll be waiting, same time, same place," he drawled.  
  
Hermione, Harry, Ginny, and Neville had to hold onto the back of Ron's robes to keep him from going after Malfoy.  
  
"He. Insulted. Your. Honor," hissed Ron, as he fought their hold on them.  
  
"I know, Ron. But I want to deal with him. You forget, I'm his tutor. I can torture him in ways you would never dream of. Like making him recite the fifty-five rules of transfiguring a mouse into a saltshaker," Hermione said, slowly letting go of Ron's robes.  
  
Ron shuddered at the thought of those fifty-five rules, which Hermione had made him and Harry learn by heart the previous year. Then he grinned. "No one knows how to make studying even worse then it already is like you, Herms," he said walking over to the Gryffindor table and sitting down.  
  
"Thanks," she said without thinking. "Wait a minute...Hey! Ron..." she said, falsely indignent.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione walked into her second class of the day, which happened to be Arithmancy. She had forgotten that this was one of the three classes that she had with Malfoy. Not many people had decided to keep Arithmancy after their third year. Just her, Hannah Abbott, Susan Bones, a Ravenclaw named Jeremy Walsh, another Ravenclaw named Lacy Jenkins, and Malfoy.  
  
She slid into the only chair left. Which happened to be the chair next to Malfoy's but you can't have everything, can you?  
  
"I saw your little blood-traitor boyfriend wasn't very happy that you are tutoring me," he whispered. Somehow, he managed to whisper-drawl. Personally, she had no idea how, but he did it.  
  
"Listen here, Malfoy," she hissed at him. "Ron's not, and most likely never will be, my boyfriend. He is just my friend. And just to get things straight between us, I'm not altogether leaping about in joy from the knowledge that I'm stuck tutoring you for what will most likely be the rest of the year. And, if you don't mind, I don't want to talk to you unless I absolutely have to."  
  
He raised his eyebrows at her in mild amusment. Then he shrugged and streched out in his seat and put his arms behind his head and took a nap.  
  
Napping at the beginning of a class! she thought furiously. Then she got an idea. She pulled out her in-case-of-a-humongus-zit makeup kit and "made up" Malfoy. When he woke up, it would be hilarious, but he'd be madder than a cornered viper. But it'd be worth it.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Harry and Ron were walking down the corridor to pick up Hermione so they could walk to their next--and last--class of the day.  
  
"Fight! Fight! Fight, fight, fight, fight, fight!" yelled a small crowd.  
  
Harry and Ron looked at each other before they started to push through the crowd. As they neared the center, they encountered Hermione's Arithmancy classmates who wouldn't meet their glances.  
  
As Harry and Ron pushed into the center of the crowd, they found Malfoy yelling at Hermione, who was trying not to laugh.  
  
"....And while I was asleep, too, Granger! No one does this to a Malfoy, and I mean no one! Watch your back you filthy mudblood bi-" he was cut off by Ron punching his nose. Blood flew out and Malfoy doubled over, clutching his face. As he stood up straight, he glared at Ron. "Oh, you'll pay for that one, Weasel. You'll pay for it, but not today. Someday when you least expect it, I'll get back at you. Someday, remember that Weasley. Remember that." He glared at Harry and his lip curled. "Potter. Knew you'd be here, always coming to the defense of your little Mudblood sweetheart." He turned his gaze to Hermione. "I'll see you in the Library tonight. Bring your Charms text." After this, he swept off, entourage following in his wake.  
  
Hermione sucked back a giggle and looked at Ron and Harry.  
  
"Well, that was unexpected, wasn't it?" she said to them. then she turned in the direction that Malfoy had walked off in. "Eight o'clock sharp, Malfoy! If you aren't there, I'll report you!" she screamed after him. He yelled something back that sounded like "I'll sodding be there you-" and then was either cut off by a teacher or he realized he was making a fool out of himself.  
  
Hermione grinned, picked up her bag, and walked towards the Charms corridor, Harry and Ron following her speachlessly. 


	2. Shopping, Spying, and Two Ravenclaw Chas...

Disclaimer: I don't own anyting associated to Harry Potter. I just own the plot and whatever is original.  
  
A/N: I know that I just uploaded yesterday, but this morning I saw that I had reviews, so why not put chapter two up? Oh, I don't give spoilers, because they're to damn hard to write.  
  
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Two  
  
She was sitting in a chair with her feet propped up in the Transfiguration section when Malfoy rounded the corner, panting slightly.  
  
"You had to pick the effing biggest section in the whole effing Library, didn't you? And the most boring, and to top the whole sodding thing off, IT'S THE SECTION THAT IS BLOODY USED MOST!" he roared.  
  
Madame Pince was there in a flash.  
  
"I don't know what you were yelling about, Mr. Malfoy, but you may not yell about it here. Out of my library, both of you!" she said shrilly, waving her hands at them.  
  
Hermione looked at Malfoy and gave him a 'now you've done it' look. He sneered at her, and actually growled. She rolled her eyes and walked away up a stair case.  
  
"And where do you think you're going, Granger?" he called after her.  
  
"Well," she said, turning to look at him from one-quarter of the way up the staircase, "we've been kicked out of the library for your horrible yelling. There is no where else that we could possibly study. I'm going back to my common room. Just try and stop me, Malfoy, and I'll scream." She recommenced stalking up the stairs thinking of fifteen ways Rauf the Mutilator tortured people and kept them conscious, and wondered if they'd work on a Malfoy.  
  
"Oh, you're going back to your common room to be all prissy with your mates, are you?" he muttered under his breath. "Well, maybe I should tag along. Occultatio!" he said, pointing his wand at himself. In an instant he was concealed and he trotted up the stairs behind her. He figured he had three hours to watch them, three hours to learn some of their secrets.  
  
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"And I see from the screaming into the pillow, the saga continues," said Ron to Harry as he sat down on the couch catty-corner to what people now called 'Hermione's scream-a-thon couch of horror'. It was quite amusing for everyone besides Hermione, who, when in a bad mood, tended to hex the younger students whenever they repeated the mockery of Hermione's favorite couch.  
  
"I heard that," said the muffled voice of Hermione from inside the pillow. "And I jolly well know you think the whole 'couch of horror' thing is bloody hilarious. Har-dee-har-har-har to you!"  
  
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Draco watched this from a chair next to a fire, amused. Upon his entering the Gryffindor common room, he immediately noticed the difference in the styles of the Founders. The Slytherin common room was dark, dank, and in the winter the ceiling dripped somewhat horribly. His chambers--as a prefect he had a private room--were not even as cozy as the Gryffindor common room, though in the winter, they didn't drip as much as the common room did, and for that he was grateful.  
  
The Gryffindor common room had at least twenty-five poofy, fluffy, comfy armchairs and sofas. They were all a eye-blindingly red and/or gold, but you could melt in one if you weren't careful. It had a huge fireplace in the center of one side of the room, and tables on the other side of the room. People obviously nicked food from the kitchens, so there were chocolate-chip oatmeal cookies and milk spread out on a table near the steps to the dormitories.  
  
He heaved a silent sigh and realized that he should get out of the Gryffindor common room; his charm would wear off in about ten minutes, and people, namely, Pansy Parkinson, would be looking for him. He got up, swerved to avoid a second year, and crawled out of the portrait hole as quickly as he could and made his way back to his room, via the Slytherin common room.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione was sitting on her bed when Ginny came in.  
  
"Ron said you wanted to talk to me?" Ginny said, sitting on the bed, legs folded.  
  
"ERGH! All these MEN are driving me NUTS!" said Hermione. "What about you, Gin?"  
  
Ginny smiled slightly wearily. "Hermione, I'm the only girl in a family of six boys. Men always drive me nuts. But, unlike you, I can't get away from them when summer vacation comes around."  
  
"So, then, we should do something. You don't have many girlfriends, do you Gin?"  
  
"True, but fine, rub it in!" joked Ginny.  
  
"Well, no offense intended about the first comment, Gin. I think we should hang out more often. How would you like to go to Hogsmeade this weekend? We could go shopping and get a butterbeer and gossip our hearts out," said Hermione, hopefully.  
  
Ginny's face light up. "Like it? I'd LOVE it!" she squealed. And then leaped over and hugged Hermione hard.  
  
Hermione grinned. It was payback time, and she'd be able to have fun with Ginny while she made Ron and Harry sweat. Plus, at the end of all this, she'd have a girlfriend to complain about those boys to.  
  
Watch out, world. Hermione Granger had a plan.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It was Saturday, and Hermione had blown off all of her tutoring sessions since that eventful one on Wednesday, and avoided Draco Malfoy like the plague. She and Ginny had made plans to ditch their male friends and hang out in Hogsmeade for the entire day. And they planned to say something awful to Draco if he showed his ferret-like face.  
  
"Oooh, Ginny, look at that on!" exclaimed Hermione over a long, sweeping emerald green witch's gown. It also had a matching cloak that they adored, but it was out of their price range. "Let's go try clothes on!" said Hermione, impulsively.  
  
"Oh, we couldn't just go in there to try clothes on, it wouldn't be fair to the store owner!" protested Ginny.  
  
"Muggles do it all the time! Last summer I went to London with my friend Leaf, and we went to the young women's section in a ritzy department store and tried on every outfit that they had! It was so much fun! And we ended up buy a scarf, which made the attendant kind of annoyed, but what could he do? Trust me, we can do this."  
  
So they went inside the store, which happened to be one of the most expensive wizard stores. It's name was Grimbult & Meyer and they'd been around for a hundred years and made the best clothes.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Across the street, Draco sat at a table on a patio outside of his favorite cafe in Hogsmeade. He had been watching Granger and her Weasel friend; wondering in God's name why women of all natures--even horrendously smart ones like Granger--liked to go into a store and try on clothes for hours. He had been subjected to this horrible ritual when his father's uncle's son's daughter's came for the summer every year. And every year, his mother took them shopping at Grimbult & Meyer, and every year, like clockwork, he was forced to hold their purses and bags of many natures while they tried on endless amounts of clothes.  
  
He sighed. Women, can't live with them, can't make an army to take over the world without 'em.  
  
"Waiter, check, please," he called to the lazy young male who was a pathetic excuse for a waiter. He toyed with the idea of sending a curse that would make the man feel like he was on fire if he sat down, but shook his head at the idea. He paid for the five lattes he had sipped until he found the 'perfect' taste.  
  
Walking to the store across the street, he paused. Why should he be nice to anyone? In particular, a mudblood. He soon found the answer: he would fail several subjects if he didn't have the studious help of Hermione Granger. And most obviously, she was mad at him. So he would do what he could to reduce her anger. He sighed as he pushed open the door and immediately heard a squeal of happiness from one Miss Hermione Granger.  
  
"Oh, Gin, look at this! Just look! It looks great, but how would I ever afford it?" Hermione sighed. Life was just not fair sometimes.  
  
"Well, well, well Granger. Looks like you are something of a beauty after all. I'm shocked," said Draco to himself sarcastically before he turned and walked to the cashier, which was out of hearing distance for the giggling girls. "I want to but that gown and the cloak and shoes that match it for that young lady," he hissed in a low tone to the cashier, who nodded. "And please tell her who bought them for her, it's very important." He slipped the man two galleons, and the man immediately smiled widely.  
  
"Of course, monsieur, of course. The bill comes to.." he rattled off a number that made Draco raise an eyebrow.  
  
"That is not at all expensive," he muttered to himself, "though since she's a mudblood-muggleborn it would be inexpensive. No taste whatsoever." He pulled out his checkbook and wrote a check, signed it and thrust it at the cashier. He knew he was breaking rule 81 of The Malfoy Standard Rulebook: Rules 50-100 ("In no way shall a Malfoy be consciously nice, respectful, polite, or cordial to a half-blood, blood traitor [Witness: The Weasley Clan], or a mudblood."). But he had only broken a rule once before in his lifetime, and a Malfoy was given ten rule-breaking freebies, but on the eleventh, you were subject to Grand Trial of the Malfoy Clan Leaders. And that rule was number three hundred and thirty-five ("A Malfoy will never show any happy facial expression or emotion outside of any of the sixty Official Malfoy Compounds. THIS MEANS YOU, GREAT-UNCLE PHILIP!").  
  
He made as if to exit the store, but was spotted by someone he hadn't seen: Pansy Parkinson. Pansy had been in the dressing rooms when Draco came in and so she hadn't seen him. And the cashier's counter was blocked by a gaudy, sequined set of robes that were on display.  
  
"Ooh, Drakey, I didn't see you, love!" she squealed. He winced. He'd been spotted by a girl who believed that they were boyfriend and girlfriend since the Yule Ball in fourth year, even though he'd been involved with Blaise Zambini heavily for the entirety of sixth year. This girl just didn't give up.  
  
"Hello, Pansy," he said, weary of her clinginess.  
  
"Hello. Did you see these absolutely adorable pink dress robes? I'm certain they'd look lovely on me at this year's Yule Ball..." she said. She might as well put "Hint, hint" at the end of her not-so-obvious attempt at coercing him into asking her to go to that year's ball.  
  
"Frankly, I find pink a rather horrid color. Especially after seeing you wear it all the time except for when you're wearing the school robes. It reminds me of that potion--Pepto Stomach Heal-All--strongly. If you'll excuse me, I have business to attend to, Pansy," he said, wishing he had a bottle of that potion, because the robes she was wearing was too low-cut for him to look at without becoming queasy.  
  
He fled from the store, starting the long trek back to Hogwarts. He felt thoroughly satisfied with himself and expected that his grades would be going up within the month.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Mademoiselle, here is your bag; you almost left it here!" cried the cashier, hurrying over to Hermione and Ginny as they were leaving the store.  
  
"But...But..I, uh, didn't buy anything. And I have my purse.." said Hermione, mystified.  
  
"Ah, oui, but young Monsieur Malfoy saw you trying on these emerald robes and he comes to me and says 'I want to buy those robes!'. And un, dieux, trois, voila! They are yours!" replied the young, energetic French wizard. He shoved the bag into Hermione's hands and retreated to the cash register.  
  
Hermione looked at Ginny. "Malfoy bought me those robes? He must be trying to apologize, or it's a trick," she said as they hurriedly exited the shop and headed towards The Three Broomsticks.  
  
They entered the pub and sat at a table, ordered butterbeer and smiled at two cute seventh year Ravenclaws, who grinned back.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Harry and Ron pushed open the door to The Three Broomsticks, and looked around. They had been searching for Hermione ever since she disappeared with Ginny at ten in the morning, saying she would be back 'later'.  
  
They'd gone all of her normal haunts and even went to Quality Quidditch Supplies, but to no avail. They had just come in for refreshment and to recharge before they continued their search.  
  
Of course, their reason for wanting to find Hermione was that they wanted help on their latest Potions essay and homework for several other subjects, but that was beside the point. Hermione had left Hogwarts without them and hadn't specified when she was coming back, and hadn't even told them which pages to read!  
  
They spotted her and Ginny sitting at a table with two of Ravenclaw's Chasers, Jon Hopkins and Ewan McAlpin. They marched over to them and pulled two bar stools over to their table.  
  
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"Hermione, where did you go?" asked Harry, interrupting her conversation with Ewan. She turned to glare at him.  
  
"Where I go and what I do isn't any of your business, Harry Potter!" she replied angrily. "And don't act hurt, I know you and Ron were only looking for me to make me help you with our Potions essay. I'm not that thick, you know." She gave them a hurt sort of look, which quickly vanished when she looked back at Ewan. "Now go away. Ewan and Jon were telling us about their recent Quidditch game."  
  
Harry and Ron retreated, shocked to the core. Since when did Hermione care about Quidditch?  
  
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A/N: Well, what did you think? I have to thank my reviewers, and my friend Ellie, who likes anything that I write. And I, of course, have to thank the *real* Ewan McAlpin, who, THANK GOD!, doesn't read HP fanfiction (as far as I know) so he will (hopefully) never read this.  
  
R&R, please!!!!!!  
  
~slytherinrules85 


	3. Bathtubs and Secrets

A/N: Ok, so people read my stuff!!! woohoo! I want to thank confused-with- life101, glitterkitty, Ginny Weasley, Draco'a Draca (hope i spelled that right), DyranHunter, SubliminalMsgs, IloveSeanB (i love him 2), swtgrl06, RockChicHRDO, and Chloe Corrona for reviewing. it really means a lot to me especially. this chs. one of my favs, since it features an embaressing thing for Draco. i have a theory for why D/Hr works out it's on my blog (http://theempireofslytherin.bogspot.com), which you should read if you want to get inside my mind. on the other hand, that could scare you, so read on!!!! (oh, and thanks to my friends, who like this even though they aren't HP fans) another comment: BIG SUPRISE COMING TOWARDS THE MIDDLE OF THE CHAPTER!!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!!!  
  
Three  
  
By mid-afternoon Hermione and Ginny had gotten bored of Hogsmeade. They set off to the castle, each with a Ravenclaw Chaser on their arm. They walked up to the Entrance Hall together, and had a nice private adieu behind a tapestry. Then they promptly entered the Great Hall and march over to the Slytherin table, where Draco Malfoy was ignoring Pansy Parkinson over a slice of guava pie.  
  
"What do you think you're playing at?" said Hermione loudly.  
  
"What do you mean, mudblood?" he said, boredly, but they could see he was relieved that they had interrupted Pansy, if only for a few minutes.  
  
"Buying me those dress robes! What do you want in return? Because there are very few things that I would consciously do to repay you." Hermione glared at him.  
  
He gave her a once-over. "As if you have anything that I'd want. Except.." he trailed off, leaving Hermione to turn red.  
  
"Except what?" she said, a bit louder.  
  
'Wizards in China could hear her!' thought Draco.  
  
"Except what you've already given me. I'll see you tonight, Granger, same time, same place." He then had the nerve to smirk at her and glide off, presumably to the dungeons.  
  
"Wait, Drakey!" cried Pansy, leaping up to follow him. "Oh, don't run so fast, my love!" They heard her shriek. Everyone at every table but the teacher's and Slytherin's went double with laughter. And the teacher's table was debatable.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione and Ginny sat down at the Gryffindor table across from Harry and Ron. The youngest Weasley and Hermione ignored and were ignored by Weasley number six and Harry Potter.  
  
"Men," said Hermione, disgusted.  
  
"Preach it sister," said Ginny, giggling.  
  
"Men. They think the world revolves around them. Especially certain men. You help them a few times over the years and all of a sudden you're the Homework Girl. Swooping in to save some guy when his grades are going down the tubes. Then when you want to have a day off from helping people left and right, you're out in the cold." Hermione gave Harry and Ron a infuriated look. Then proceeded to eat a baked potato that had a lot of cheddar and black beans on either end of it.  
  
Harry and Ron viewed the mercenary-like precision of Hermione's bites and gulped. They were in deep trouble.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
That night Hermione pulled on a pair of Muggle jeans, and her favorite T- shirt. It was way too small, but she didn't care. It was only Malfoy that she was going to see, wasn't it?  
  
She went down the stairs to the common room and sniffed in the direction of Harry and Ron, told Ginny where she'd be, and climbed out the portrait hole.  
  
'Why couldn't he pick someone else to tutor him? Why'd the stupid sod pick me, Hermione Know-it-all Granger, mudblood extroidinare?' she thought angrily as she stomped into the Library.  
  
She pulled her wand out of her bag and whispered a locator spell. "Dirigere Malfoy." A small arrowhead appeared and pointed to her left. She followed it to the Muggle Studies section then canceled the spell.  
  
"Well, well, well," said Malfoy, his feet on the table again. "I see mudbloods are as punctual as they are worthy to study magic--not at all."  
  
"Oh, shut it, Malfoy, or I'll tell McGonagall that you're as dense as a flobberworm and there's no way anyone could ever teach you." She glared at him. "And get your damn feet off the bloody table, while you're adjusting your attitude," she said, pushing his feet off the tabletop.  
  
"Well, aren't in a vindictive, malicious mood. Maybe you should be in Slytherin, Granger, your current mood shows you have some of the Slytherin- ish qualities." He smirked at her and made as if to put his feet back on the table, but she cast a quick spell directed at the offending appendages.  
  
"Fustis radix!" Hermione hissed furiously. His feet instantly fell to the floor and stuck there. She smiled briefly.  
  
'Bloody, filthy mudlbood. Stuck my feet to the bloody floor!' thought Draco, angrily.  
  
"Unstick my feet, Granger!" hissed Draco.  
  
"What's the magic word?" she asked idly, rooting through her bag.  
  
"Now," he seethed.  
  
"Wrong answer. Let's get to Transfiguration. Turn to page three-forty-four, if you please."  
  
"When then?" he asked.  
  
"When what? Oh, when will I unstick your feet? Well we should be done in two hours so right around then. Which will be nine-ish. Open up your Transfiguration now, or I will leave you here till morning."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione crawled through the portrait hole to be met by Ginny and a steaming cup of Earl Gray tea.  
  
Hermione inhaled the scent of the tea and sighed. "Oh, this smells heavenly, Gin. I should have thought of this ages ago." She paused to take a big gulp of the piping hot tea and swore when it burned her. "Bloody hell. Anyway, I'm going to go take a bath in the prefects' bath. Try to relax, you know."  
  
"Yes, I went there last night. I had to shoo Moaning Myrtle away, though. She hangs out around there a lot lately." Ginny had been selected as a prefect when she entered fifth year. She had received a new wand and an owl as late birthday present/Congratulations! You're a prefect! presents.  
  
"I remember that," promised Hermione as she went up the stairs to the girls' dormitory to get her things and Ginny went back to homework.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Look at that," said Ron. "She doesn't even miss us. She's fine without us. She just left us out in the cold. Didn't even wean us off her, just let us go cold turkey."  
  
"Well, Ron," said Harry philosophically, "it is partially--mostly, actually- -our fault." Ron glared at him. "And yes," Harry went on quickly. "It has to do with the fact that we've been growing apart for a while. Since last Christmas, actually. Haven't you noticed? The catalyst was you joining the Quidditch team. It was just one more thing you and I had in common that she didn't. Our friendship recently consisted of us relying on her for homework help--and that was it. I wish now I hadn't done that," he said wistfully, looking at the stairs with a longing expression.  
  
"Harry?" said Ron out of the blue, after a couple minutes.  
  
"Yea, mate?" answered Harry who was watching Hermione come down the stairs as he drank a cup of tea.  
  
"You fancy Hermione don't you?"  
  
Harry sprayed tea all over the couch he was sitting on.  
  
"What makes you think that?" he asked, after he stopped coughing up the tea he had inhaled.  
  
"Well, your behavior, for one. And the way when you hug Hermione, you hold her longer than anyone else, even Mum. And Mum holds onto you for a long time."  
  
"Oh," replied Harry faintly.  
  
How long have you liked her? When did you notice it?" asked Ron.  
  
"Well," said Harry, burrowing deeper into his couch. "I think since last Easter is when I first started to like her. I started to notice that her hair would smell like vanilla cookies sprinkled with cinnamon. And that her eyes were the most beautiful shade of golden brown. And...other things," he said, blushing.  
  
"Ah, well, you're going to have gorgeous kids," Ron said jauntily.  
  
"Thanks-Wait, Ron, don't you fancy Hermione also?" Harry was slightly confused. Here was his friend, who, had professed that he was in love with Hermione just a few weeks ago, giving his support to a competitor.  
  
"Nah, I knew you fancied her. I pretended to so that you'd admit you liked her, or punched my nose, which ever came first. Though, it would have been nice to give our family a break from the red hair," he said regretful, fingering his flaming hair. "And Ginny is going to be heartbroken when you ask Hermione out-Oops."  
  
"Why would Ginny be heart-Oh," said Harry, embarrassed. "Does she still fancy me a bit?"  
  
"Just a bit--No, I can't lie to you. She fancies you so much her walls are decorated with photographs that she cut out of The daily Prophet, or Witch Weekly. She also doodles 'Mrs. Virginia Potter' on anything made of paper or parchment if she has a quill and ink or a pen at hand. She told me she got a eighty-nine percent on a essay because she'd doodled it on the sidelines of the paper. If she hadn't, she would have gotten a one hundred."  
  
Harry was gaping. His head involuntarily turned in Ginny's direction. He saw her hair swish as her head flipped back to focus on her homework. This wasn't going to be easy to ignore. His head turned back to Ron.  
  
"Me and my big mouth," mumbled Ron. "I shouldn't talk at all, really. It just gets me into trouble."  
  
"Ron," said Harry, haltingly.  
  
"Ye-as?" replied Ron, staring into the fire as he bit the end off a big oatmeal cookie.  
  
"Will you help me get Hermione to go out with me? I'll help you get who ever you want, if you want help, that is."  
  
"Sure, mate. But I'm afraid that who I want is mostly likely someone else's." Ron smiled sadly into the fire.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As Hermione sank so that her ears were covered in the gigantic golden bath tub, she sighed. All of the stress of school, tutoring, her friends, and her parents floated away. She dived to the bottom of the pool and sat there, Indian-style for a minute. Hermione smiled, remembering how she used to do this at public pools when she was small, to scare her parents.  
  
Suddenly, she heard a splash of displaced water the signaled someone getting into the tub. She surfaced, only to screech and sink lower in the water then she had been.  
  
"Malfoy! What are you doing here? Don't you knock at all?" she screamed at him.  
  
Draco was disturbed from his inner revelry by a shriek from the other end of the tub.  
  
"What the hell!" he roared. His eyes lowered to look at Hermione. "Granger, get out now!"  
  
"No! I was here first. And you still have to answer my questions," Hermione said, obstinate.  
  
Having been trained all his life to hear what someone said even if he wasn't paying attention, Draco recalled her questions.  
  
"Taking a bath, Granger, in case you hadn't noticed. No, I don't knock, having grown up where I had my own bathroom, and no siblings, so I never learned the concept of knocking." Draco glared at her, though secretly he was amused. Granger had the most funny way of over-reacting. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Obviously I am--was--taking a bath, Malfoy," said Hermione huffily.  
  
"Oh, well, it looked like you were trying to drown yourself, but we all clean ourselves different ways," said Draco cheerily. "Now my grandfather's cousin, he would scrub himself with a-"  
  
"As much as I would like to know how your family became one of the most eccentric--that's the nice way of saying crazy, Malfoy--wizarding families in England, now is not the time," Hermione said loudly, to cover up whatever Malfoy had said about his grandfather's cousin. "If you will turn around, I'll get dressed and get out of here."  
  
Draco smirked. "Maybe I don't want to turn, Granger. I could learn a lot from not doing y-erm, what you tell me to."  
  
"Ha, ha, sodding ha, Malfoy. Turn around."  
  
He turned, and she put on her leopard print pyjama bottoms and a spaghetti- strapped white shirt. She stuffed her shampoo, soap, and other stuff into her bathroom bag.  
  
"Can I turn yet?" whined Draco.  
  
"Stop being such a baby, Malfoy. And, yes, you may turn."  
  
He turned, a smirk on his face. But when he saw her, it melted off his face.  
  
'When did Granger become so...curvy? Igh, STOP THAT Draco, think snakes, think snakes.'  
  
"Nice outfit Granger. It's so....Muggle esque. Suits you."  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes at Draco.  
  
'Stuck-up, pretentious prat,' she thought. 'Well, with a father like his, who's suprised?'  
  
"See you tomorrow, Malfoy. In Herbology."  
  
Hermione fled from the Prefects' bath and vowed never to go back unless it was the holiday's and Malfoy was at home.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As he sank back into the tub Draco thought about the transaction he had just had with Hermione.  
  
'Interesting. Granger uses the Prefects' bathroom. Oh, wait, she is a prefect. I'd forgotten. Maybe missing all those meetings to go and snog with Blaise wasn't the best idea.' He dove down to the bottom of the pool, then came up and started to swim laps.  
  
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Unbeknownst to Draco, a certain lonely ghost was watching him from the drain. As she told Hermione the next day when she came into Myrtle's bathroom, she was impressed.  
  
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"He's not very smart, if he didn't notice me," giggled Myrtle. "Harry noticed me before he got out of that tub when he went in there in his fourth year, but Draco didn't, so I saw it all." She bent in half, giggling.  
  
By lunch, everyone knew about what happened the previous night in the bathroom, due to Hermione "accidentally" mentioning it to Lavender and Pavarti after Transfiguration.  
  
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"What the hell were you thinking?" hissed Draco at Hermione, as they were leaving Potions that after noon.  
  
"What do you mean, Malfoy?" she said, coolly.  
  
"You bloody well know what I mean, mudblood. Spreading around what Myrtle-" at this, he turned red "-told you. About what she saw."  
  
Hermione gave him an infuriating once-over. "From what I hear, you shouldn't be ashamed, Malfoy. And I can trust my source, she saw it all." Hermione gave him a syrupy-sweet smile and walked away with Harry and Ron, who were laughing their heads off.  
  
A/N: Ok, so that wasn't a very nice ordeal for Draco, but it is funny!!!! crude (just a bit), but still funny. if you didn't like it, i'm American, we have little to no moral values. i actually like to think that my moral values are higher because of my upbringing, but then again, SOME people think i'm annoying. please R&R!!!!!  
  
~slytherinrules85 


	4. A kid, A Class, and Someone Passes Out

A/N: Ok, so thank you to all of my reviewers (i have decided that from now on i'll list screen names at five: 5, 10, 15....). thanks to my friends, and my older brother. oh, yeah, thanks to my uncle, who the whole split-the- head-open story happened to him (don't worry, it didn't affect him. he sells insurance now in PA). and to my dad, who told me that story in the first place. oh, the girl Elisha Rose-Wilde, is actually my friend Ellie, who is NOT eleven. but she likes being in the story anyways. ERW won't be a key charecter, but i'm thinking she'll help gring D and Hr together. and be funny. oh, to confuse-with-lfe101, what do you mean by a paragraph at the end? please post/email explanation to me. um...notes at the end. again R&R!!!!!  
  
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Four  
  
'The nerve of that...that...God, I can't even find a fit enough insult for that...that...THAT!' Draco glared at a passing first year Ravenclaw.  
  
"Why aren't you in class," he growled, scowling.  
  
"Please, Mr. Prefect, sir," said the first year, trembling, "I got lost. Could you help me find the," she looked at a schedule, "um, the Herbology class? I can't find it, I've been searching since lunch, too." The girl looked as if she was going to cry.  
  
Draco sighed and forgot he was dealing with an eleven-year-old. He offered the girl his hand, and she held it. "Come with me, what's your name anyway, kid?"  
  
"Ellie, Elisha Rose-Wilde, I'm from Dublin, but my mum moved to Bath when she and my dad divorced and took me with her, leaving behind my older brother."  
  
"What a sob story. Look, kid-Elisha, I mean, don't, um, tell anyone about me helping you. I know it's my job as a prefect and all, but it would ruin my rep to have some poor Ravenclaw kid tell everyone about how Draco Malfoy helped her out. You know what I mean?" He looked down at Elisha, who nodded enthusiastically.  
  
"Of course. That's how my brother feels. I won't tell anyone, don't worry." She removed her hand from his. "And I'm not a little kid. As much as I was enjoying it, I don't need to hold your hand."  
  
Draco blushed. "Oh. Wait, your brother is here? Who is he? I should talk to him, neglecting his responsibilities towards his sister and all."  
  
Elisha's eyes widened. "No, no, no. We're aren't even supposed to talk. Mum says that that was a term in the divorce. No contact between the two of us. At all." She smiled. "I guess the Sorting Hat had different ideas about that, since he put both of us in the same House.  
  
They rounded the corner to the Greenhouses. Draco popped his head inside one.  
  
"Professor Sprout? can I speak with you for a moment?" he called to slightly frazzled-looking witch in spring-green.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Malfoy?" she said, dusting her hands off on her apron.  
  
"One of your students for the Ravenclaw first years' class, Elisha Rose- Wilde has not been able to find your class." He motioned to Elisha, who shrank from the teachers' gaze.  
  
"Oh, my dear, I'm so sorry," said the professor. "I was wondering why you have not been present at any of my classes."  
  
"As a prefect," said Draco. "I suggest that you ask her Head of House to assign another first- or second-year guide to show her around the school until she learns how to get her classes." He smiled at Elisha. "You can't always depend on the kindness of stranger, El." He nodded at the professor. "If you could write me a note? I'm late for Ancient Runes and I need a note so that I don't get detention..."  
  
"Of course, dear," said Prof. Sprout absentmindedly, patting his arm. "I'll get for you, just wait right here."  
  
She disappeared in the greenhouse with Elisha who flashed him a nervous glance over her should as the professor steered her into the greenhouse. Draco gave her a reassuring smile.  
  
'Note to self,' he thought as he walked away (after he had gotten his note, of course). 'Never be nice to first years. Ever. Again. No good will come of this, for sure.'  
  
He opened the door to the Ancient Runes classroom. Prof. King looked up from helping a student with a particularly hard translation.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, you are," he checked his pocket watch, "twenty minutes late. I trust you have a satisfactory explanation?"  
  
Draco fidgeted. Why, oh why did he have to explain himself in front of the entire class.  
  
"Well, I am waiting, Mr. Malfoy," said King, looking like he was a five- year-old about to get a treat after hitting his baby-sitter.  
  
"Er, may I explain in your office, professor?" asked Draco, hoping to at least maintain some of his dignity.  
  
"No."  
  
'Fine, then,' thought Draco. "I ran into a Ravenclaw first year," he said, very fast. "She-was-lost-I-helped-her-find-her-class. Here-I-have-a-note," he said, thrusting the piece of paper into the disappointed professor's hand. Professor King had been a Gryffindor, so he had a aversion to Slytherins.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione gaped at Draco. Malfoy had helped someone? And a first year, no less! This was a incredible first.  
  
"Nice, Draco, very nice," she murmured as he sat down across from her.  
  
"What was that, mudblood?" he asked softly. "Wishing you were as nice a person as I am?"  
  
"Far from it, oh great one," she said sarcastically. "I was just amazed that you can actually be nice and not have you brain blow up, or have your ancestors rise from the grave to get you." She looked thoughtful. "Or both," she added after further thought.  
  
"You know," he said, leafing through a three-inch-wide book, "that happened to my Great-uncle Eustus. My Great-great-great grandfather rose and dragged him--Eustus--back to his--my grandfather's--crypt. Father said you can heard screams coming from that direction every once in a while," he lowered his voice to a spookier tone, "and you still can. When the moon is full-"  
  
"Oh, shut it, Malfoy," said Hermione disgusted that she had been a smidge interested in his story. "I-I don't like ghost stories; they, well, they scare me," she said in a small voice, looking at him defiantly.  
  
'I shouldn't have told him that,' she thought. 'Now he'll tell me ghost story every time he sees me. Damn.'  
  
"Really?" he asked, interested. "Me too. My father always told them to me to 'toughen me up' as he said. They 'built character'. Here's my response to that-" He said some words Hermione hadn't known that made her gasp. "Impressed, Granger? I was too, when my father said them after I threw a glass paperweight at him after told me one story." He smiled--at least Hermione thought it was a smile--wistfully at the memory. "He still has a bump on his head. And a scar. But it was the helm from the solid iron suit of armor that broke his skull open; now that was an interesting day."  
  
"Your dad broke his skull open?" asked Hermione. "When?"  
  
"Ah, before I was born. My uncle Orion saw what happened. My aunt was mad at my father. She picked up the helm to a iron suit of armor and dropped it on his head from a stair landing. Apparently, he had popped the head off her doll and done something to it. Well, after that, my uncle went over to my father to see if he was alive, lo and behold you could see his brain peeking out! He spent a week in St. Mungo's after that and Bella was banned from Malfoy Manor for a month, as uncle says."  
  
"You have an uncle?"  
  
"Well, yes. But father and him don't get along since Grandfather disinherited Uncle Orion, who is older than my father." He wrinkled his perfectly shaped nose. "I wish he hadn't. I did like Orion, even if he was a mudblood-lover-" He cut himself off, looking like he had said something that he shouldn't have.  
  
"Your uncle likes Muggleborns?" asked Hermione incredulously.  
  
"Yeah, well, not everyone is like my father. I certainly am not, for instance."  
  
"What does your uncle do now?"  
  
"He lives in Romania, on his ranch. He works with dragons now." The nose wrinkled again. "With that Weasley child. Charlie, I think was his name."  
  
"Huh," mused Hermione. "Let's get back to our schoolwork, shall we?" And then she turned to the teacher and ignored Draco for the remainder of the class, hurrying off when they were dismissed.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
'Malfoy has an uncle who could be termed decent? Impossible. I shall write Charlie to see if it is indeed true,' thought Hermione. She nodded her assent at her thoughts. Then she spotted Ewan and grinned flirtatiously at him, and her actions were reciprocated.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Dear Charlie, she wrote.  
  
How is Romania? How are your dragons? And you yourself are fine, I trust. I realize that I have never actually written you a letter, but I heard something and wanted you affirmation. Draco Malfoy (who I have been tutoring in several different subjects) says that he has an uncle, one Orion Malfoy, who works with you and is apparently a decent chap. I wanted to know if he does indeed work with you, and if so, is he really all that nice? Please send your return via this owl.  
  
Yours,  
  
Hermione Granger  
  
Hermione smiled at her letter, blew on the ink to dry it, and rolled it up to take to the owlry to send if off.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Draco petted his eagle owl, Hercules, on its head. Pulling a Owl Treat out of his pocket, Draco froze. There were footsteps coming closer. If it was a professor, he was in for it. He'd skipped Divination to come and be alone. And to send a letter to his uncle, who understood him.  
  
"....Really? You don't sound a bit Irish, but you know that, don't you?" It was the voice of Hermione Granger, who was talking to someone.  
  
"Oh, yes, I know. It's because mum took me to bath when I was young, so I lost my accent. Anyway, mum remarried a year after we moved to England and had six kids! My stepfather already had a son who was five years older than me, so I'm the second oldest of eight." That was that Elisha girl, talking to Hermione.  
  
"Oh, well here's the Owlry! You actually haven't been here before?" exclaimed Hermione's disembodied voice, as Draco searched for somewhere to hide. No luck, he couldn't hide, they would just find him.  
  
The door creaked open....  
  
"Malfoy? What are you doing here?" asked Hermione, suspiciously.  
  
"Sending a letter, Granger. What about you? Don't you have some sort of class with Potty and the Weasel?" drawled Draco, leaning against the cages.  
  
Hermione blushed. "Yes, but you have Divination. So you skipped too."  
  
Elisha skipped over to Draco and hugged him round his middle. "Thank you for helping me find Herbology, Draco. And for telling Prof. Sprout that I needed a guide, now Bobby Makswillman helps me, and he's adorable."  
  
Hermione sidled over to Draco and helped him peel the girl off him. "Looks like we've found the new Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown of Ravenclaw," she whispered into his ear.  
  
Draco let out a small laugh, but it sounded wonderful.  
  
'I made him laugh!' thought Hermione. 'Me, Hermione Granger, made the prince of Slytherin laugh! Imagine that!' She blushed at her thought and gave Draco a small smile.  
  
Then Hermione walked over to a school owl and gave it her letter, and told it something Draco couldn't hear.  
  
Draco shrugged, and gave Hercules his letter and told him to give it to Orion Malfoy, personally, or not to give it at all.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione walked down to Care of Magical Creatures by herself because she'd skipped so Harry and Ron were together.  
  
"Granger, wait up!" called someone from behind her. She stopped and turned.  
  
As Draco Malfoy jogged over to her she rolled her eyes.  
  
'Why oh why did I wait?' she thought. 'Why couldn't I just kept walking?'  
  
Draco stopped beside Hermione, puffing slightly. He'd been running after her since the Ancient Runes. But, somewhere three corridors down from the classroom, she disappeared into a hidden passage, and Draco didn't catch sight of her until he gave up and headed for class.  
  
"I...wanted...to...know...when...did...you..want..to..get..together...for... a tutoring session?" he asked, regaining his wind.  
  
"You ran all the way from the Ancient Runes class to ask me that?" asked Hermione, astounded.  
  
Draco bent double. Something wasn't right. Usually he was fine but now....something was the matter with his heart! "My.....heart..." he croaked before he collapsed.  
  
Hermione hurriedly knelt on the grass, not caring about possible grass stains. She pushed Draco onto his back and checked his pulse. "Pulse fine," she murmured. "But he isn't breathing. Have to do mouth-to-mouth." She shuddered and prayed no one passed them while she was trying to wake Draco up.  
  
She bent down and opened his mouth, hesitating for just a second.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Draco felt himself waking up. Air somehow made its way to his lungs. He slowly opened his eyes, he could see Hermione leaning over him, doing mouth- to-mouth. He realized he had fainted. He also realized he was in danger of liking this. So he pulled away and jumped up.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione's brow furrowed. He wasn't reacting. He seemed to need her to breathe, and until he regained consciousness, she'd have to comply.  
  
She didn't see his eyes open and hardly noticed any movement until she found herself being thrown on her back with the force of a boulder.  
  
She stared at him, amazed.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Draco was suprised when she didn't yell at him. She just looked up at him calmly.  
  
"Are you all right?" she asked softly.  
  
"Yes," Draco grunted.  
  
"Well, lets get you to the Hospital wing. Madame Pomfry would kill me if I didn't make sure you saw her."  
  
She stood up, brushed her robes off, and grabbed his elbow, leading him towards the castle. To her immense amazement he let her lead him.  
  
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A/N: yeah, that scene up there *points* was suposed to be when they "got together", but i hit a point in ch. five when i realized that they shoudln't get together just yet. but THEY WILL! don't worry about that!!!! i'm not sure if Orion will make any sort of play, since i introduced him for fun (i'm honest, not one of those writers who say "yeah, i'm going to do someting like that" and don't. so if i don't think of anything, nothing is going to happen, suggestions please!). oh, and i didn't know whether or not the Ancient RUnes prof. had a name, so i named him after my uncle carlos. not really my uncle, long story. um, anything else? i'm goignt og go write, and sometime this weekend five (might) be up. not on sat. since i'm spending almost all day in a drafty church when it's sposed to be 30something. eurgh, i HATE the cold. anyway, R&R, pleaze!!!!!!! 


	5. New Quarters, New Roommate, New Rules

2/17/04  
  
A/N: well, here's five. that scene down there *points* wasn't in the original maniscript, or, rather, WordPad. i put it in there on an ispiration. and, now i have more to work with. thanks to confused-with- life101, glitterkitty, Ginny Weasley, Draco'aDraca, DyranHunter, SubliminalMsgs, IloveSeanB, swtgrl4eva06, RockChicHRDO, Chloe Corrona, xAmericanxSunsetx, sophiethedevil, Fairy Lights (or Lariy Fights), Princess Faye, Draco's-Tootsie23, and Tinuviel Firestorm (gotta love the LotR inspired screen names). and to those people who didn't review, too. hmmmm....i'm going to [maybe] put a paragraph or two of six up on my blog, and the script link should be at the bottom of the page. if not, it's on my profile. i'll do that soon. R&R please  
  


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* * *

  
Five  
  
They arrived in the Hospital wing in five minutes. Usually, it wouldn't have taken that long, but Hermione took it slower so Draco wouldn't collapse.  
  
As Madam Pomfry checked Draco, Hermione told him stories about when she was younger and went to her parents pracitice.  
  
He laughed aloud when she told him of Mr. Johnson, who tended to swear when drilled upon.  
  
"Well, Mr. Malfoy, they only thing wrong with you is an over-balance of stress and too much coffee. It's a good thing Ms. Granger was there to perform mouth-to-mouth. Otherwise, you could be paying a visit to the Reaper right now," she told him in a caring-ish way.  
  


* * *

  
"Well, erm," said Draco, outside fo the Hospital.  
  
"Yes, well..." trailed Hermione.  
  
Draco looked around the corridor, making sure it was empty. Then, he swiftly leaned over and kissed Hermione before running down the opposite end of the corridor.  
  
Hermione touched her lips, still feeling his upon hers. Then she turned towards the Gryffindor Tower, dazed.  
  


* * *

  
Hermione drifted into the common room some four hours later, having missed two classes and dinner. She was frowning slightly, and her brow was furrowed. She plopped down on a couch next to Ron and spoke to him and Harry for the first time in three days.  
  
"Interesting day, wasn't it?" she said absently.  
  
"Ye-es," said Ron, looking Harry like 'Go on, talk to her'.  
  
"So how are you Herms?" asked Harry.  
  
"Oh, me?" said Hermione snapping back to reality. "I'm wonderful, really brilliant."  
  
"You missed two classes and dinner," pointed out Harry. "Why?"  
  
"Oh, I was fine. I had to go to the hospital wing because I had to...."  
  
They looked at her. "Go on," prompted Harry.  
  
"Get some medicine to relieve cramps. And I stopped at the kitchen on my way up to the Tower."  
  
Ron and Harry flinched at 'cramps', but said nothing.  
  
"So....You aren't mad at us anymore?" asked Ron.  
  
"No. You've learned your lesson and your grades have made a very rapid decline since I stopped talking to you. So, if you promise to stop being complete asses, I'll forgive you," said Hermione, smartly.  
  
"We promise," said Harry and Ron quickly.  
  
"Ron," said Hermione, checking her watch. "We have a senior prefects' meeting in fifteen minutes. And it's at the other side of the castle. We had better leave now."  
  
"Ok," agreed Ron. "Shouldn't you get your bag?"  
  
"I have it here," said Hermione, looking around. "Oh, no," she moaned, seeing whose bag she'd taken. "I'll just get it back at the meeting," she muttered. "Come on, Ron!" she said, crawling out the portrait hole, bag in hand.  
  
"Bye, Harry!" called Ron as he followed Hermione.  
  


* * *

  
Hermione jogged to the Heads' quarters. Hannah Abbot and Anthony Goldstein were Head Boy and Girl, so they got their own quarters.  
  
"Hodgepodge," said a cool voice before Hermione could gasp it out. She turned and there was Draco, leaning against a pillar, smiling faintly. "Hello, Granger," he said, still smiling. "I believe you have something of mine," he said, gesturing towards the bag.  
  
"Oh," said Hermione, "yes. I must've picked it up when we had to rush off."  
  
"Likewise," replied Draco. He handed her her bag and took his. "Thank you for not looking in it," he said simply. "Now, lets go in before the Weasel shows his sorry face."  
  
As soon as he said this the corridor was filled with footsteps. It was Ron. Hermione hopped into the Head's rooms, Draco behind her. The portrait closed and they took seat next to each other, grinning slightly.  
  
Ron fell into the room headfirst, swearing. Couldn't they put in stairs for Merlin's sake?  
  
He looked around the table at which sat Hannah, Anthony, Ernie Macmillan, Padma Patil, Draco, Hermione, and Pansy. He took the last seat, which was beside Pansy.  
  
"To open this meeting," said Hannah, hiding a giggle from Ron's dishevled look. "Anthony and I would like to announce that Hogwarts is going to have a Halloween Ball, and we--the Head's and senior Prefects--have been entrusted with planning."  
  
"But," said Anthony, clearly enjoying what he was going to say next, "we regret to inform you that we--Hannah and me--will be unable to help in the planning, as we have something else to do."  
  
"Why?" asked Padma, clearly annoyed.  
  
"Because the Headmaster has informed Hannah and me that we will be doing something more important than that. Now for the assignments." He pulled his wand out, pointed it at a paper and muttered a spell. Six identical papers to his appeared in front of the senior's:  
  
Ron Weasley and Padma Patil will be redoing the garden terrace, and will report to Profs. Sprout and Snape for instruction.  
  
Pansy Parkinson and Ernie Macmillan will be working with the House Elves in the kitchens to prpare the menu. They will report to Profs. Vector, McGonagall, and to the House-Elf Dobby for instruction.  
  
Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger will be working out the design for the Great Hall during the ball and the costume theme. They will report to Prof. Dumbledore for guidence.  
  
ALL SENIOR PREFECT PARTNERS WILL RECIEVE THEIR OWN ROOMS WITH A ADJACENT COMMON ROOM AND BATHROOM. UNTIL THE BALL IS OVER, YOU WILL STAY IN THESE ROOMS, AS PER THE REQUEST OF HEADMASTER DUMBLEDORE  
  
Hermione looked down at her paper and smiled. Halloween was two months away. Her year looked a lot better now. Two whole months with a quiet common room!  
  


* * *

  
Draco grinned because he would have two months to be away from that horrible chit, Pansy.  
  


* * *

  
Ron just groaned. Two whole months with Padma Patil. She'd never forgiven him for dumping her at the Yule Ball in his fourth year. His year now looked like it was going down the tubes....  
  


* * *

  
"Your respective supurvisors will be here momentarily to show you to you new quarters and to inform you of your passwords and how to change them. And to tell you the rules," said Hannah, over the chatter and groaning. "Your belongings have been transfered already"  
  


* * *

  
Five minutes later, a door opened in the wall and Profs. Dumbldore, Snape, and McGonagall filed in.  
  
"Mr. Weasley, Ms. Patil, follow me, please," said Severus Snape in a voice that said that he thought he was very put-opon.  
  
"Ms. Parkinson, Mr. Macmillan follow me," said McGonagall briskly.  
  
"Ah, Mr. Malfoy, Ms. Granger," said Dumbledore, sunnily, "come with me if you please."  
  
Hermione and Draco followed him to a place that Hermione was sure must be close to a tower. Dumbledore stopped infront of a portrait of a lion, laying asleep, next to a dragon. "Hakuna Matata," he stated plainly.  
  
Hermione giggled. "Sir, where ever did you get that phrase?"  
  
Dumbledore smiled widely. "From the time I vertured into the Muggle cinema, Ms. Granger. I saw a wonder film called 'The Lion King'. I saw it so many times, that I had to put it into a pensieve." The portrait swung open. "Well, go on in," he said waving them ahead.  
  
The common room a perfect blend of Gryffindor and Slytherin. As Hermione thought, they were in a tower, so the room was quite round. The stone walls were covered by tapestries of the Gryffindor lion and the Slytherin snakes and dragons. The carpet was obviously magical because it shifted patterns every few minutes. And the furniture was silver with red embroidery and gold with emerald or just plain House colors. There were two armchairs and automens by the huge fireplace. They were silver and emerald and gold and ruby. Two blankets hung over the backs of the chairs. One resembles the Slytherin banner, the other the Gryffindor.  
  
There was a section of the wall that didn't have tapestry, because it was all windows. A set of frenchdoors swung out onto a balcony, that had a few tables and chairs on it. Beneath the windows, were window seats. For indeed, the windows were a fourth of the room and the french doors were in the middle of them. The window seats were also House colors, but in parts they blended together beautifully.  
  
On opposite sides of the room were two spiral staricases. One had a Gryffindor banner hanging all around it as a curtain, the other a Slytherin banner.  
  
Hermione stood in the middle of the room, gasping at everything she saw. A tear escaped her eye. "It's...it's so beautiful!" she gasped.  
  
"Yes," said Dumbledore. "This has been used to house Gryffindors and Slytherins that can get along for centuries. I hope you will enjoy it." He motioned for them to sit down on a couch opposite his. "You can go into each other's room, but only when openly invited. Your rooms don't require passwords, as no one is allowed except those you invite, and professors of this school. I trust that you wouldn't do anything....expected of teenagers." His message was clear: No nocturnal visitors. Period. "You can change the password of your rooms if you wish, but after a few days the portrait will open up to you without a password. That is all. Any questions?" he looked at them.  
  
"Yes," said Hermione. "Which tower are we in?"  
  
Dumbledore's smile widened. "The Astronomy Tower, of course, Ms. Granger. Now, I must be going." He got up and left them.  
  


* * *

  
Hermione went over to her staircase and parted the banner that hung over the entrance to the stairs. As she ducked inside it, she gasped again. The steps were beautiful carved mahagony, with Gryffindor patterns etched out on them. She walked up them, treading carefully, and opened her door.  
  
Her mouth dropped open. This room was heavenly. The room was not half a tower and yet it would have held two of her old dormatory. The bed was king size at least, and decorated with a gold-and-scarlet checkerd quilt. It had a scarlet canopy that was trimmed with gold velvet. She opened an amoire that was a few feet away from her bed and found all of her clothes in it, with room to spare. There was another fireplace, with her own armchair, automen, and table. And a oaken door that must lead to the bathroom.  
  
She decided to explore the bathroom later and to go to the terrace. Hermione's and Draco's room's also had a joint terrace, with french doors for each of them. Hermione's door had heavy scarlet drapes on them. She flung the doors open and stepped onto the terrace to look over her balcony.....  
  


* * *

  
Draco went to his staircase at the same time as Hermione went to hers. He parted his to see a staircase hand-carved out of pine and etched with Slytherin patterns. He grinned at them, knowing that they were better than then all the stairs at his home.  
  
He climbed to the top of his staircase and opened his chamber door. His room was almost exactly like Hermione's, except in Slytherin colors, everthing in emerald and trimmed in silver. Knowing full well that everything was safely put away in amoires and bearues, he went into the bathroom.  
  
If wasn't as big as the Prefect's bathroom, but almost. There was a large golden bathtub at one end and a shower at the other. In between, there were sinks on the opposite sides of the room, one next to each door. He decided to be mischevious and went to Hermione's door. As he was reaching for the handle, some invisleble force stopped him about a foot away from the door, as if to say "You haven't been invited". He snorted and went out his own door to fling open his french doors. Granger was standing on her balcony, overlooking the lake and Quidditch pitch.  
  
He went to stand behind her.  
  
"Hey," he said softly. She turned around sharply.  
  
"Hello, Malfoy," she replied.  
  
"Now, now," he said, "we're going to be living together for God knows how long, so why don't you use my proper name? I'll use yours."  
  
"All right, Draco," she said, his name feeling strange on her tongue.  
  
"Right then, Hermione," he said. He wakled to the spot on the balcony besides her and leaned on it.  
  


* * *

  
It was seven o'clock and Harry was annoyed. Ron and Hermione had been gone an hour and niether had come back. He was about to go get his map, when Ron tumbled through the portrait hole.  
  
"Hey mate," said Ron.  
  
"Where've you been?" asked Harry.  
  
"Looking around in my new quarters."  
  
"NEW QUARTERS!" yelled Harry.  
  
"Yes, Harry, new quarters. Hogwarts is going to have a Halloween ball, so Prof. Dumbledore assigned the senior prefects new quaters with their partners," he said. "I'm partered with Padma Patil," he said as an afterthought.  
  
"Oh," said Harry.  
  
"Ernie's partnered with Pansy, poor man. Hermione had the bad luck to get Malfoy, though. She'll go nuts spending the next two months with him. Though the quarters are rather nicely sized, so it's not like she won't be able to avoid him."  
  
"Ron," said Harry, "we've got quiddtch practice in five. Let's go." Harry ran up to get his broom and Ron shouted up the he'd 'meet him there'.  
  
Ron reached his rooms, ran up his stairs, and grabbed his broomstick. Kicking open his balcony doors, he mounted his broom, and took off. He'd got around the Astronomy Tower to save time. As he flew by the tower, he saw a tall blond man with a shorter brunette standing next to each other, engaged in a lively discusion. He didn't recognise them, and forgot all about them by the time he reached the pitch.  
  


* * *

  
Draco finished his statement, "...and that's why House Elves were originally bound to owners of large homes." He smiled down at Hermione amused. "Do you still object?"  
  
"Yes," she said stubburnly. "It's wrong. It's slavery for heavens' sake!"  
  
"I know," he said. "But they want to be slaves."  
  
Hermione glanced down at her watch. "Ohmigosh! I have to go to the pitch to see Harry and Ron! I've been here for an hour! They'll be worrying," she said, "We can finish this later."  
  
"I'll fly you there," he offered.  
  
"OK," she said absentmindidly. "Let me go get a few things."  
  
She ran into her room and Draco fetched his broomstick, the lastest Nimbus, a Nimbus 5000, from his room.  
  
"Hop on," he said to Hermione, who got on behind him. "Hold on tight, Hermione."  
  
He kicked off and they whizzed through the air at top speed, Hermione forgeting that she hated flying. He landed on a Gryffindor bleacher as Team Gryffindor swooped down on them.  
  
"Hermione!" said Harry, astounded. "What're you doing?"  
  
"Oh, Draco gave me a ride from our rooms, since I never would have made it otherwise," she said, swaying from the dizzyness.  
  
"Draco?" said Ginny, amused.  
  
"You're calling him bloody 'DRACO'!" roared Ron.  
  
Dracoo rolled his eyes drolly. "Honestly, Weasley, I'm going to be living with Hermione for the next two months. I might as well call her by her first name. It'd be a bit akward, yelling each others surnames at one another all the time, don't you agree?" He turned to Hermione and told her something in a low voice, she nodded and he took off, flying back to their room.  
  
Harry went pale and took off, yelling for the team to follow. Ginny gave Hermione a reassuring smile and followed Harry.  
  
Hermione sighed and sat down. It was going to be a long evening.  
  


* * *

  
A/N: cliffie, eh? the link /i be inside these parenthesis (http://theempireofslytherin.blogspot.com) if not, go to bio. i'll try to do that soon. again R&R please!!!!!!!!!! 


	6. Unholy Alliance

A/N: ok, this one is really short, but you'll have to live with it until i finish seven. and i've written less than a paragraph, so don't get all knackered with me. thanks to reviewers, the fam, my amigas!, and allways, thanks to the guy who i'm sure i'm basing it on: Hawk. that's his codename. visit the blog for nore info and dreams. on with the story and R&R! please!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Six  
  
Hermione hopped down the bleachers and ran down the steps to wait in front of the showers. She wanted to talk to Harry and Ron before they stormed off. She leaned against the wall and sighed.  
  
'Why do men insist on not listening?' she thought, irritated at Ron and Harry, who hadn't even said anything.  
  
The door crashed open and Hermione jumped up. It was Ginny.  
  
"Oh, it's only you," she said, dissapointed.  
  
"Thanks a lot," said Ginny dryly. "No, don't apologize, I know what you meant. You're waiting for them," she pointed a thumb over shoulder, "and they know it. They told me to tell you that they aren't coming out as long as you are waiting for them. I told them to-" she said something theat made Hermione gasp, while Ginny grinned. "Yeah, that's what they did, too. But Ron smacked me. And told me he'd tell mum if I ever said such things again. Then I politely reminded him that I learned them from him."  
  
"Right then," said Hermione, also grinning. "I'll just go in there."  
  
"Ok." Ginny shrugged and waved good-bye. "I'll be in my dorm if you need me."  
  
Hermione nodded and stoically walked over to the door, wrenched it open, and walked inside.  
  
She was greeted by the glaring faces of Ron and Harry.  
  
"What do you want?" asked Harry sourly.  
  
"I want to explain to you two morons," Hermione replied.  
  
"Well, explain," said Ron, stuffing things into his bag.  
  
"Draco and I are going to work together on more than one thing. He's my partner in Ancient Runes, I tutor him, there is a project coming up in Arithmancy that I'm going to need a partner in, and he and I are working together to plan the decorations and costume theme in the upcoming ball. So we decided," at this Hermione blushed a bit, "to be on a first-name basis. And not to argue. Now, I'm going to be the bigger person and forgive you two. Whether or not you decide to apologize to me is your decison, but either way you like me being friendly with Draco, or you can lump it. Which will it be?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I cannot believe them!" shouted Hermione. She slammed into her and Draco's common room, seething.  
  
"What's the matter?" called Draco from his chair besides the fireplace. He was sitting on it so his legs were over the side. He bent his head back, looking at her shocked face. "No, really, what's wrong?"  
  
"Harry I'm-a-narrow-minded-git Potter and Ronald I-haven't-the-common-sense- God-gave-a-goose Weasley have," she went incoherant for a moment, the only words Draco could make out were swear words directed towards certain black- and red-haired gentlemen. "Informed me that if I want to be friends with their narrow-minded, jackass selves, I have to be cold, frigid, and impolite to you." She was a red-purple with rage.  
  
Suddenly, Draco had an idea. "Hey, you know what helps me relieve bad feelings?" He said, smiling to himself.  
  
"No, what?" she said distantly.  
  
He out-and-out grinned. "Going patroling and taking points and giving detentions to hapless first, second, third, and fourth years." She stared at him. "Oh, c'mon, it's fun!" he protested. "Giving them detention with Filch for things like 'looking too happy,' or 'laughing too loudly,' or, my favorite," he grinned, "which is 'making out on the Astronomy Tower without the proper chaperonage.' That really puzzles them Especially the Hufflepuffs. So, what do you say?"  
  
Hermione thought for a second. Then she grinned. "Ron and Harry have dates tonight. Ginny told me." She went over to him gave him a quick squeeze. "Thanks. I'll go get dressed."  
  
"Hey," he called after her. She stuck her head out of the stair tapestry half way up.  
  
"Yeh?"  
  
"Wear black. And your Prefect badge. And," he grinned wider, "don't forget, you're the senior senior prefect for your House. You can put the junior senior prefect--Weasley--on probation. With the penalty of recension of the prefect duties."  
  
'Lord knows I'd love for her to do that," Draco thought. 'It would make my life so much easier.'  
  
"Brilliant." Hermione's head dissapeared back into the length of cloth.  
  
Draco, who was already wearing black robes, got up and summoned his prefect badge. Pinning it on his shirt, right over his heart he smirked. This was most certinly a unholy alliance, but a necessary one. He picked up the green envelope--which meant a painfull curse was inside of it--that was from his father and threw it into the fire. His father could rot in hell for all he cared. This was his time. And, by God, he'd make the best of it.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
They were walking up the steps to the top of the Astronomy Tower, laughing at a story Draco told Hermione about his father and uncle.  
  
"Oi! What're you doing here?" said Ron, startled.  
  
"What's it look like, Weasel?" drawled Draco. "We've come up here to snog."  
  
Ron and Harry's chins hit their chests.  
  
"WHAT THE-" they started to yell, when Hermione broke into laughter.  
  
"Honestly," she wheezed, "as if I would snog anyone--let alone Draco--on top of the Astronomy Tower. It's so cliche, not to mention cold." She pulled herself together. "Draco and I are on prefect patrol. And you two are out of bed very late. By my watch, it's 10:30. Which is far past curfew." She smiled icily at them as they gaped at her.  
  
Hermione glanced up at Draco. "Now, Draco, being out two hours past curfew is against School Rules, and qualifies for detention, doesn't it?"  
  
Draco looked down at her, smilinig slightly. "Why, Hermione, I do believe it does. And Mr. Filch has been complaining about the state of the stables lately." He out-and-out grinned. "Perhaps these two rule-breakers should clean them out? Over the next few saturdays, I think."  
  
"Why, Draco, that's a wonderful idea. I'm getting tired, so let's go back to our rooms," said Hermione, grinning. Draco held out his arm, and she took it as they decended down the stairs.  
  
"She's gone batty!" exclaimed Ron, as they trudged down the Tower steps behind Hermione and Draco.  
  
"Tell me about it," responded Harry, dryly.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione plopped down on her bed and laughed herself hoarse. Her sides were in stiches, and she couldn't move her torso.  
  
'Perhaps I should take a bath,' she thought, standing up stiffly. Undressing, she grabbed her bathrobe, which was made out of a towel material and was blue, and put it on. She went into the bathroom, locked Draco's door, and started her bath.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Draco and Hermione had parted ways at the base of the Tower. He had gone in the direction of the Slytherin common room, she to theirs. Harry and Ron had followed him to the Entrance Hall, and jumped him. It wasn't a fair fight.  
  
Draco slumped into the common room, flinched up the stairs, and swore a the bathroom door.  
  
"Hermione!" he yelled. "Are you in there?"  
  
"Yes!" called the disembodied voice of Hermione.  
  
"Can we talk?" he asked her.  
  
"Sure, but you should come in, I can barely hear you." The handle on the door gave way to Draco's fingertips immediately.  
  
Draco limped to the side of the room, and sat down a folding screen that hadn't been there five minutes before. Coincidentally, it was green-and- silver with a motief of dragons. When he sat down in teh chair that was behind the screen, his normal peerless posture failed him. He slouched over in pain.  
  
"What's the matter?" asked Hermione, from the other end of the bathtub.  
  
"I, uh, was in a fight," he said carefully.  
  
"Oh, Draco," she tutted, "you really shouldn't just randomly beat people up- "  
  
"I didn't," he said, cutting her off. "I was jumped in the Entrance Hall."  
  
"By who?"  
  
"Potty and the Weasel."  
  
"I'm going to kill them."  
  
"Fine with me, but can we talk first? Besides, we need to plan for the ball."  
  
So, as Hermione bathed, Draco and her talked about plans for the ball. They agreed on the theme, and the colors of the decorations. But they couldn't seem to find a multi-House agreeable way to decorate the Great Hall.  
  
Hermione recommended taking a poll on which way the Hall should be decorated from the four- to seventh-years. Draco relented, hers was the better way.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
That Saturday, at precisely 12:02 PM, Hermione tumbled through the portrait hole into the Gryffindor common room. She swore loudly, not used to the drop at the end of the tunnel. Marchign over to Harry and Ron, she pulled her wand out.  
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she hissed at them.  
  
"Our homework," said Harry, not looking up.  
  
"Look. At. Me. When. I'm. Talking. To. You."  
  
The looked up.  
  
"Why did you jump Draco in the Entrance Hall on Tuesday?" she demanded.  
  
They squirmed in their seats.  
  
"Well, we, erm..." said Ron.  
  
"Um, we....." said Harry.  
  
"NO EXCUSES!!!!!!!" screamed Hermione. "You two have done some pretty low things in your lives, but THIS IS THE WORST!!!!!! I live with this person, whether or not you like it. I have to get along with him! And you've almost buggered it up! Until you really shape up, our friendship is over!" She left the Tower without a look behind her.  
  
"Oh, bloody hell...." said Harry and Ron.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: heehee, cliffie!!!! yeah how she's behaving is totally what i'd do. i have little to no tact so, whateva. horrible, horrible way to get someone to like you, though. anyway, i'm out of clever stories to tell in A/N's so, R&R please!!!!!  
  
~slytherinrules85 


	7. In Which Things Are Revealed

Disclaimer: I do not own anything but the plot, the dialogue, and various things that are described. Neither do I own the menu items. They were taken from Julia Child and Jacques Pepin's Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home, and Julia Child's Menu Cookbook, and maybe from (i don't remember) Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle, and Simone Beck's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I do not own the theme to the dance, either. And I don't know who does. Or Seven jeans. Please do not sue.  
  
A/N: thanks to the reviewers, and to my bro, the Sun Bear, for co-authoring the bit in Draco's room. He told me where to put the hands. And to my wonderful computer for putting up with me and not freezing once last night, when I was typing most of seven. I did one label-dropping, and that's Seven jeans. I've never owned a pair, since my parents refuse to buy me a pair of $140 jeans. I don't know why. But they're supposed to be really nice jeans. Oh, and in this story, Blaise is a girl. It is highly disputed to whether Blaise is a boy or a girl, but in this story he/she/it is a girl. On with the story!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Seven  
  
Hermione decided not to go back to the quarters, but to the Great Hall. Conjuring a clipboard and portable quill-and-inkpot set, she sat down at her table and started an Arithmancy equation.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
She came into their common room, ran over to Draco's staircase and rapped on tapestry.  
  
"Draco!" she yelled excitedly. "I found a theme!!! Can I come up?"  
  
"Sure,"came his voice.  
  
Instantly the wall-hard tapestry became soft cloth. She pulled it to one side and ran up the steps to find Draco drying his hair. He was wearing a pair of black pants, but no shirt. Hermione blushed.  
  
"So, what's your idea?" he asked, rubbing the top of his head, which was tilted to one side.  
  
"Uh...Ah..." she said, dazed by the sight of him. She gulped. Hard. "I was thinking a Sadie Hawkins dance."  
  
"A what now?" he asked, head now tilted to the other side. "Oh, could you scratch my back? It really itches."  
  
She nodded, and walked to behind him. "Right in the center of my lower back," he said. "Down a bit. Yeah, to the right a smidge. Ah....that feels good." He turned around and grinned at her. "If I was a dog, I'd wag my tail. But, as I'm not, maybe this will be enought thanks." As he leaned down to kiss her, he put his hands around her waist and pulled her to him. Deepening the kiss, Draco felt Hermione's hands snake up around his neck.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Now, Professor Dumbledore had neglected to mention that Housemates were allowed into rooms. So, at the very moment Draco pulled Hermione over to a chair, Ginny's voice rang out from the other room.  
  
"Hermione! Hermione? Hermione where are you?" came Ginny's voice, a bit frantic.  
  
Hermione pryed herself away from Draco, and went through his bathroom door to access her room.  
  
"It's OK, Gin. I was just in Draco's room," she said. Ginny's eyebrow went up.  
  
"Then far be it for me to interupt," she said coyly.  
  
"You got that right, Weasley," drawled Draco from the door. "Smartest thing I've ever heard you say."  
  
"Draco!" said Hermione, whacking his shoulder.  
  
Ginny grinned. 'Ha! Wait till Ron finds out that she likes Draco!' she thought.  
  
"So," said Ginny, leaning against a bed-post. "What's the theme for the dance?"  
  
"Sadie Hawkins," said Hermione, smugly.  
  
"What the hell is a Sadie Hawkins dance?" said Draco, irritibly.  
  
"It's when the girl asks the boy. And," here, Hermione grinned, "the boy can't refuse."  
  
Draco paled. "Oh, God. Hermione, you're going to have to ask me before Pansy does."  
  
Hermione laughed. "It's OK, Draco. The "partners" have to go with one another. So, you are my date."  
  
Draco sighed, relieved.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Three weeks from that Wendsday....  
  
"So," said Anthony Goldstien, "How are your projects going? Ron and Padma?"  
  
"Um...." said Ron.  
  
"We," said Padma, "have created a beautiful Babylon's "Hanging Gardens" moteif. The terrace has been changed into several levels. Naturally, there are four levels. The fourth-years will be seated on the lowest level, and the seventh-years on the top level. The tables will be seperated by latices with Tropicana roses growing on them. Fairies will be flying around the boothes, to create a romantic lighting. If your fairies somehow..." here Padma shifted in her seat, "...dissapear, then there is a glow-ball that floats above the table. Has anyone seen the Disney movie "Robin Hood"?"  
  
"Yes!" chorused all the Muggleborns.  
  
"No," said the purebloods.  
  
"Well," said Padma. "In 'Robin Hood' they float this crystal ball above a table. The ball is filled with fireflies, so it glows. But, the ball that we will use is enchanted to give out a soft, candle-like light. What do you think?" She glanced around the table to be met with approving glances.  
  
"In the middle of the top level," she went on. "There will a round table, with a hole in the center. That's where the teachers will sit. In the center of the table, I mean." Everyone gave Ron a look that plainly said 'I'll bet none of this was you idea.'  
  
Ron turned red.  
  
Padma, seeing this, put her hand on top of his, and smiled at everyone. "The glow-ball idea was Ron's," she said. "As was the teachers' seating arrangment." The expressions dissapeared.  
  
Hannah, smiling, turned to Ernie and Pansy. "Ernie, Pansy, what have you chosen for the menu?"  
  
"Pansy and I have worked very hard to create what is, we hope, is an original menu," said Ernie firmly. "For the appetizer, we have asparagus and brie wrapped in a prosciutto. And, for those who don't like asparagus, we have a sausage in brioche. For the soup course, Pansy recommended a Italian wedding soup that she got from her great-grandmother's niece's daughter-in-law.  
  
"For the entrée we have choices. You could have salmon fillet sautéed on its skin, roast chicken with lemon and herbs, several choices of beef are available. They are all delicious. The choices are Steak au Poivre, and Chateaubriand. There is also rack of lamb, and Veal Roast en Cocotte." He stopped for a breath and looked around. Some people were looking at him with a hungry look. He smiled widely.  
  
"For the dessert," said Pansy. "We have a Creme Caramel, Creme Brulee, Chocolate Pots de Creme, Poached Pears in a Chocolate Sauce, Chocolate Roulade, and any kind of Crepe you desire."  
  
"The dessert course is accompanied by coffee," said Ernie. "As I have been informed by a Muggleborn classmate of mine, coffee now comes in flavors such as mocha, caramel, and peppermint. After three weeks of experiments, we have finally been able to concoct our own flavored coffee."  
  
All of the senior prefects mouths dropped open.  
  
Anthony, who had mantained his taste buds, turned to Draco and Hermione. "So, how have you decided to decorate the Great Hall?"  
  
"We didn't agree on a color until three weeks ago, and we only worked out how to decorate it last week. But the theme, we've had the theme since the day after we agreed on a color." Draco stopped to conjure up a pitcher of water and glass. Pouring himself a glass, he took a couple of gulps before he started to talk again. "I'll let Hermione talk about the theme in a bit, but I'll tell you about how the Hall is decorated. The ceiling we'll leave alone, except for a white-silver gauze sheet hanging above the dance floor, as if we're in an Elvish tent. The lighting will be more glow-globes, but these will be of varying shades of light. Some will be meant to be as bright as the sun, some to throw shadows on the dancers.  
  
"The walls will be hidden by white tapestries, with silver embroidery depicting various constellations. The far half of the Hall will be the dancing section. The near half will have white and silver furniture, many differant variations of sofas, chairs, and chez lounges. Now, Hermione will explain the theme of the dance and the costume theme."  
  
"The costume theme is constellations and Elves. If you can't find a constellation to go as, just go as an Elf. Now, the dance theme is a Sadie Hawkins dance." She raised her hand at the people who about the question her. "A Sadie Hawkins dance is when the girls ask the guys, and the guys can't refuse. Now, I know that this is the least immpressive of all the preperations, but I didn't want to have to do something someone else has done, like 'Famous Couples Throughout History,' which is a great theme, but not something original. This is the first Sadie Hawkins Dance Hogwarts has ever had. I know that because I checked. What do you think?" She looked around to see what people's expressions were.  
  
"I think thats a brilliant idea," said Ernie Macmillian.  
  
Everyone else mumured their assent.  
  
"Well, I think that's it for this meeting," said Anthony. "We'll meet again the night before the ball and go over the plans again and make sure they're flawless."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
That Saturday was a Hogsmeade day. Hermione hadn't felt going down to the Great Hall for breakfast, so she ordered up. Finding out what Draco wnated she flooed the kitchen and ordered their breakfast.  
  
Three House-elves appeared ten minutes later, and set down the platters on a small table on the main balcony. Hermione and Draco sat in silence as tehy ate their breafast.  
  
"So..." Hermione said, as she finished her breakfast.  
  
"So...." said Draco, through his last bite of poached egg, drenched in Worcestershire sauce.  
  
"Um..." continued Hermione.  
  
"So, I'm going into Hogsmeade to pick out some robes today, you wanna come? I'll buy you some really nice robes," he said, in a bribey voice.  
  
"I can't let you buy me robes!" she said. They both heard the 'again' that was hanging in the air.  
  
"Of course you can. You've saved me from having to go with Pansy, Mi."  
  
"'Mi'?" she asked.  
  
"Hermione is too damn hard to say in the morning. So I shortened it." He shrugged her off. "So, what do you say?"  
  
She smiled. "Sure."  
  
"Great," he said, getting up from the table. He leaned over her and gave her a soft, lingering kiss. "I'm off to get dressed."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
He met her in their common room half an hour later. He was wearing a dark green long-sleeved t-shirt. It said 'Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes' on the front in silver. He was wearing a pair of black jeans, also.  
  
'Probably Seven jeans,' thought Hemione, dryly.  
  
She was wearing a pair of jean, but they were a dark blue. Her shirt was a off-the-shoulder thin white top. Since her top was a bit thin, she was wearing a maroon spaghetti-strapped top underneath that had a built-in bra. On her shoulder was a black leather messnger bag.  
  
He had a check book and his wand sticking of his back pocket.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As they walked down to the Entrance Hall hand in hand, Harry and Ron appeared from an adjacent corridor.  
  
"Malfoy," they said.  
  
"Potter. Weasley. Hermione, I suggest that we take another route to the carriges," said Draco, icily to Ron and Harry, but warm as lava to Hermione.  
  
"Of course, Draco dear." And they turned down a corridor, exited the building, and ran to their right so they could go 'round the shorter way.  
  
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A/N: Ok, so the ending to this chapter sucked. Forgive me, gentle readers. That's pretty much it for a while. Email my brother and tell him to play his XBox more often Apparently, it takes away my writers block. More specifically, tell him to play the Baldurs Gate game, if you want to READ ON!!!! (more not-so-subtle-mind-messages.) Go to my blog in a couple days (today of Feb. 23, 2004) and see if there is a pragraph of eight. It should be the part where they get some robes. And here are the planned pairings:  
  
Draco/Hermione, Harry/?, Ron/?, Ernie/?, Pansy/?.  
  
*laughs evily* you thought I'd actually tell you? NEVAH!!!!  
  
We will nevah surrendah  
  
~Winston Churchhill 


	8. Designer Duds and French Salesmen

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, though I would like to own Tom Felton a.k.a. Draco Malfoy. I don't own Valentino either. That belongs to the Italian dude who makes clothes for people like Renee Zellweger and Halle Berry for things like teh Golden Globes and the Oscars, which were last night and I don't own them either. I do not own Legolas, although I would like to. He could survive in my closet quite nicely. I do, however, own the French dude, who I brought back because I think he's cool.  
  
A/N: ok, i like this chapter. Thanks to Switchfoot for making the album, The Beautiful Letdown, which I listened to while writing this. Thanks to A, my bro, for telling me how to spell that funny French laugh (Ah-huh-honh!) and, i'd like to thank the Academy for being there and inspiring me to write a really cool dress in. and to Peter Jackson and his costume designer for designing that outfit Legolas wears in the end of Return of the King, since that's what Draco's wearing. minus the crown. and for making Elves be on my brain 24/7, especially one particular one, who i would like t thank personally....anyway, please R&R!!!! oh, and big snaps and huggles to Draco's-Tootsie23, for being the 50th reviewer!!!!! *toots horn and throw confetti* on with the fic!!!!!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Eight  
  
They reached the carriges five minutes before deadline and jumped into the first, shoving the third-years that were in it out.  
  
"I can't believe you did that, Draco!" gasped Hermione, who had three stiches in her side. One and a half from running, one and a half from laughing.  
  
"Neither can I," he whispered to her, his head by her ear. She giggled even more.  
  
Draco moved to the seat on the opposite side of the carrige. But, when the carrige lurched to life, Hermione fell into his lap. She shook from all the giggling emanating from her body.  
  
"It not funny," he grumbled, as he was pushing her to the seat opposite. "You hit some, erm, sensative parts." She started to laugh harder and he joined in, seeing the hilarity of the situation.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
They arrived in Hogsmeade, laughing at something Goyle had done the previous year.  
  
"....And then, he upturned the cauldron and the potion, since it was improperly made, turned all of his hair into patches of daisies!" exclaimed a excited Draco. "Professor Snape wasn't able to turn it back for a week! It was very odd in our chambers when he'd get dressed or undressed."  
  
Hermione didn't giggle, because if she did, she was afraid she go stiff. "Oh, dear Draco. How do you handle all of this hilarity? I'd pop."  
  
Draco grinned shyly at her. 'Is he being bashful?' she wondered.  
  
"The store's just over there," he said, pointing. As she looked in the direction of his pointing finger, she saw a very finely made sign showing off the word Valentino.  
  
Hermione laughed at the scrolling letters that decorated the sign.  
  
"Why're you laughing?" he asked, puzzled.  
  
"Valentino is a Muggle designer. My cousin, who lives in America, told me he designs many of the movie star's dresses for the Oscar's and things like that. People like Renee Zellweger, Halle Berry, Oscar-calibar stars, you know."  
  
"Oh," he said. "What're the Oscars?"  
  
Hermione spent the next five minutes explaing the concepts of award shows to Draco.  
  
"Ah," he said, knowledgeably. "That must be Paulo's brother. He went into Muggle designs, years ago, I'm told." He looked pleased to have everythign in his world righted again.  
  
"How do you know so much about fashion?" she asked him.  
  
He squirmed. "My mother takes me shopping with her and my only female cousin every weekend of the summer. I here things and pick up the latest designers, and fashions. It helps sometimes."  
  
They entered the store and Hermione gasped in awe of the gorgeous dresses that surrounded her. A familiar figure approached them.  
  
"Ah! Madmoiselle! Monsieur! It ehz so nize to ze you agains!" exclaimed Phillipe, the excitable French casheir from Grimbult and Meyers.  
  
"Philippe! What are you doing here?" asked Hermione, genuinely shocked.  
  
"Ah, I was, uh how you say? Fiherd. I accziadentally told a Madame that zhe looked like eh Veela who had noht been watching her veight. Conzequently, I vas fiherd. Horrible peasentz, sey do noht appreciate the French." He mumbled for a few moments about the defieciaties of the English then remembered himself. "So, what arze sou looking for? Tell Phillipe everyting, go on tell."  
  
"Well, I'm looking for a dress for Hogwarts Halloween ball," said Hermione.  
  
"Ah! Eh Hallo'een ball! Those are ze greatest balls in ze world. I, myself, have been to many Hallo'een ballz. What iz se theme?"  
  
"Constolations and Elves."  
  
Philippe's eyebrows went up. "Ah, zat is a wonderful theme! Unfortunately, people at Beauxbatons are not zat original."  
  
Hermione smiled. "And the dance theme is a Sadie Hawkins dance."  
  
"Ah huh-honh," laughed Philippe. "That theme is tres--how you say?--ah, magnificant! No one will ever be able to compare to it! Now, let Philippe take care of you!" And he grabbed Hermione's arm and pulled her into the store. Draco, following them, chuckled.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Ok, Draco I'm ready. And you'd better not laugh," called Hermione from inside a dressing room.  
  
"I won't; I promise," he said.  
  
Hermione came out in a stunning off-the-shoulder lilac dress. It was a gauze-covered satin dress with the gauze embroidered with traditional Elvish patterns. There were many silver-embroidered roses climbing the dress' skirt. The dress had a normal waist, and the top was also covered in gauze. She was wearing Elvish dancing slippers, lilac satin with a leather sole, that were embroiderd with flowers and leaves.  
  
"Wow...." said Draco. "How the hell am I supposed to find a outfit to match that?"  
  
Hermione giggled. "Don't worry, Philippe says that there is a light blue Elvish lord suit to go with this....contraption." She swirled the very swishy skirt around. "So, waht do you think?"  
  
Draco got up from his seat walked over to Hermione, pinned her to the wall and proceeded to make out with her, in the middle of Paulo Valentino's Hogsmeade boutique.  
  
She smiled shyly when he pulled back. "I guess that means you like it," she said, and was rewarded with another round of kisses.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"This outfit makes no sense!" cried Draco. "Where the hell does that hook go? Oh..." he trailed off. "Found it. Well, I'm ready. And you better not laugh!"  
  
"I won't!" she yelled at him, fingering her skirt. "Hurry up!"  
  
He came out of the dressing room, and she grinned widely. He looked every bit an Elvish princeling. His pale blond hair was out of his newly traditional leather thong, and hanging around his shoulders, tucked behind his ears.  
  
"Why, Draco!" exclaimed Hermione. "You look just like Legolas at the end of Return of the King! Come here, I've always fancied him." She pulled him over to her and started the kissing fest all over again.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
They walked out of Valentino's with dress bags over their shoulders. The ran into Ernie and Pansy, who were leaning up against the wall, making out.  
  
"Ah-HEM!" coughed Draco, loudly. The teenagers sprang apart.  
  
"Hello, Draco," said Pansy, straighting her collar. "What are you and Hermione doing here?"  
  
"Oh, we were buying our costumes for the ball in Valentino's, and we decided to head over to The Three Broomsticks, when we saw you," said Draco breezily. "And, I'm afraid we have to be going now. See you on Thursday."  
  
He and Hermione walked down the street, past Pansy and Ernie, who commenced their activities when Draco and Hemione left. When they were a half block down, they burst out laughing. Holding on to each other so they wouldn't fall down, they laughed themselves hoarse.  
  
"Draco! What are you doing?" exclaimed a shrill voice.  
  
Draco looked up from Hermione's shoulder. "Oh, God...."  
  
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A/N: AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! who is it? oh, wait I KNOW WHO IT IS AND YOU DON'T SO NEENER-NEENER-NEENER!!!! alright, childishness will cease. so, a sugar-quill to anyone who guesses correctly. or, actually, a sugar quill to the FIRST person who guesses correctly. check on my blog, please, or i could review and tell you......oh, and just so you know, Philippe isn't gay. he is just a good salesman. which is funny, since last time i was at the Gap, i think *one* guy there wasn't gay. he was the one working the register. but, you can *never* be sure. he could just be a macho gay guy. *shudders* doesn't that defeat the purpose? oh, and maybe Draco should have a crown like Legolas (he's MINE!!!!!). vote by reviewing. if you're going to review and guess for who it is at the end of the chapter, your format should look like this: (a) x person in HPverse (b) yes/no Draco should get the crown. please R&R, and vote!!!!!  
  
Don't touch my Oscar!  
  
~Blake Edwards 


	9. Mothers And Their Finishing Touches

03/05/04  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. And, to my immense dismay and displeasure, I do not own Orlando Bloom. Blame my parents. Niether do I own Lord of the Rings or anything affiliated with it. (used to want to be a lawyer, can you tell?)  
  
A/N: ok, there are references to Orlando Bloom in this chappie. i'm sorry i couldn't restrain myself. he is just that gorgeous. this chapter's kind of short, but next chapter (hopefully) will be longer. R&R please!!!!!  
  
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Nine  
  
"Mother! What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be in Paris with Melody!" said Draco, edging in front of Hermione.  
  
Narcissa Malfoy sniffed. "You father told me to come and have a 'chat' with you. He said that you've been writing your uncle. Again." She sighed, as if she'd done this too many times. "How many times have I told you, Draco, that if you are going to write your uncle, use a sodding school owl! It is not that hard. You do not even have to pay for the service! Why must you always forget?" She perked up, seeing Hermione peek up over Draco's shoulder. "Move, son. I must see this beautiful girl you have behind you."  
  
Draco moved, begrudgingly.  
  
"Oh, Draco, dearest, how did you ever manage to meet such a pretty, sensible looking girl! Surely, it was luck, or God, since you have no sense in matters of the heart."  
  
"Mother," he said, sighing, "this is Hermione Granger. She's my roommate, and prefect partner."  
  
Narcissa tilted her head. "I understood that that Parkinson chit was the other Slytherin prefect, Draoc."  
  
"She is. Hermione's my partner in organising the Halloween ball. She's the senior senior prefect for...." he trailed off. Putting his mouth by Hermione's ear, he whispered, "Be ready to run."  
  
"For?" queried Naricissa Malfoy, serene eyebrows cocked.  
  
"Gryffindor," said Draco quickly. 'Oh, well it's out there now. No turning back.' He cringed, expecting a spell to be sent his way.  
  
Instead, Narcissa laughed. "Brava, my dear! A perfect way to keep breaking the chain! She is adorable, but most Gryffindors are. Please, join me for lunch." And she swept off, elegent rose skirts swirling up dust in her wake.  
  
Draco and Hermione exchanged looks before following the perfectly poised Narcissa to the Chateau de la Terre a la Mare. It was basically, as Draco told Hermione, the Wizard equivalent of the Savoy.  
  
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"Now," said Narcissa, "what do you want, Hermione? Anything you want, you can have."  
  
And so, that's how Hermione ended up eating one very large chocolate croissant.  
  
"How can you stomach that?' asked Draco, over a mouthful of lobster.  
  
"Tsk, tsk, Draco dear, it is impolite to be rude about one's food choices. Not to mention talking with your mouth full," scolded his mother. She was eating a piece of chicken that had been marinated in an Italian salad dressing, and cooked in a garlic and rosemary sauce. "Now, Hermione, dear, you must show me your robes. Now, since I've taken great care training Draco, they should be perfect, but we should just check."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
And that's how Hermione ended up in the Matrioy hotel at three in the afternoon on the 24th of October, one week from the ball. She was standing on an ottoman, arms to her sides, with her costume on.  
  
Narcissa was walking counter-clockwise around Hermione, studying the drees, the way it looked and fit. "Well, you'll have to get it taken out a bit on the bust," she said. "Elves have very loose garments. Have you ever see 'The Lord of the Rings'?"  
  
Hermione stared at her. "It's a Muggle film."  
  
Draco gaped. "You've seen Muggle films?" he asked his mother.  
  
Narcissa laughed. "Honestly, Draconis dear, if everyone listened to you all the time, they'd think all I did was shop!"  
  
"Don't you? And don't call me Draconis!" said Draco.  
  
"Draconis?" asked Hermione, looking at Narcissa.  
  
"Yes, that's his real name. Draco is a nickname." A odd look came over his face. "He is named after his uncle, Orion Draconis Malfoy." Draco's head twitched at her. He peered at his mother, the cogs in his head whirling. "And, no dear son of mine, I do not shop all the time. Most of the time I am at the cinema." She looked at Hermione. "Don't you think Orlando Bloom is totally gorgeous?" She and Hermione giggled like a bunch of twelve-year- olds.  
  
"Oooooh, yeah," said Hermione. "Orlando. I could think of him all day long. I can't wait for the day I graduate, then I can make a simulacrum of him and.....enjoy it." She grinned ferally.  
  
"Don't go that far, my dear. He is a wizard, you know. I've met him a time or two and I could set you up, if you like."  
  
"He's a wizard?"  
  
"Oh, yes. He was a Ravenclaw. I knew his father and mother, they were so much in love. Had him right out of school. But, enough about dear Orli, and more about you." She looked over a Draco, who was staring, mouth agape at his mother and sort of-girlfriend. "Nissie, dear please close your mouth and go fetch us something to eat from room service, sil vous plait."  
  
"DON'T CALL ME THAT! And I'll go get something."  
  
With her son out of her way, Narcissa turned her attention back to Hermione. "Now, my dear let's see what we can get in the way of jewelry for you." She swept out of the sitting room that came with the spacious penthouse, beckoning for Hermione to follow her into the bedroom.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As Hermione entered the bedroom, she saw Narcissa levitating a large trunk onto the bed. It landed with a 'whump', and Narcissa flicked her wand, causing the lid to pop open. Narcissa looked over to Hermione and motioned her over.  
  
Hermione picked up the front of her gown and walked over to stand beside Narcissa. What she saw made her gasp. Inside the trunk was pounds upon pounds of jewelry. It was seperated into little clear boxs, by carats and jewel type. Narcissa frowned for a moment, then picked up a box marked '5, Lav. Ds'.  
  
"What does that stand for?" asked Hermione.  
  
"Five carats, lavender diamonds. Very rare, lavender diamonds. But beautiful, nevertheless." Narcissa opened the box, and fingered around in it for a minute or two. "Ah!" she exclaimed. "Here we go." She pulled out a platinum chain that had a lavender diamond hanging off the chain. She also pulled out a pair of earrings that were platinum balls with little chains that had lavender diamonds hanging off their ends. "Now, put them on." Hermione did as she was bade, then looked up at Narcissa who smiled. "Go look in the mirror, dear."  
  
Hermione walked to the full-length mirror that was by the bathroom door, and gasped at her appearance.  
  
At the moment she turned around to tell Narcissa thank you, Draco walked through the bedroom door. He dropped the tray he had been carrying, and swore loudly.  
  
"Good God, Hermione you looking bloody sodding gorgeous!" he half whispered, half yelled.  
  
Narcissa smiled a secretive little smile. "Now, doesn't she look beautiful, dear? Anyway, I told you I had to talk to you about someting, didn't I? Let's go into the sitting room, shall we?"  
  
They went into the sitting room. Narcissa sat in a ivory armchair, Hermione on a sea green chez lounge, and Draco on a white sofa.  
  
"What is it that you need to tell me, Mum?" asked Draco, slightly confused.  
  
"Draco, I have been keeping a secret from you, your father, and your uncle for eighteen years today. And I have finally decided to tell you."  
  
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A/N: aah! another cliffie! sorry, i couldn't help myself. next chapter is full of suspense. feel free to guess at what the SUPRISE is, (think really, really big.), since i love seeing what other people think. but, if you don't like it, sorry. my horrible little self just LOVES scandel. probably since my life is incredibly void of it, but whatever. R&R and maybe chapter ten will be out before next week!  
  
slytherinrules85 a.k.a. Manion, Queen of Evil Cliffhangers 


	10. The Big Whammys

A/N: Ok, here's the BIG SUPRISE!!!!!!! it is really big. i don't know if you'll like it, but there are so many theories on Draco's relantionship with Lucius that i decided to take a different route. hopefully you'll like it. actually there are THREE suprises in this chapter, and i haven't even thought about what to do in eleven, so please don't bug me about it. thanks to Issie, SubliminalMsgs, dragonsprincess, Just-some-girl1, Openly Insane, AnnaLee-Greenleaf, Icecristal, insanity-is-my-life, Friday13, snow- angel222, IloveSeanB, Pilar, CozzaGirl16, Draco's-Tootsie23, Black Rein, DemonSorceress, friskytheotter, xAmericanxSunsetx, glitter kitty, Draco's Little Princess, SukiYumi, merlinsmagic, fictiongurl, Twinkey, Chloe Corrona, etr, Alyssa, InsanitySquirrel321, Phoenix, DyranHunter, sophiethedevil, Fairy Lights, Draco'a Draca, Princess Faye, Tinuviel Firestorm, confused-with-life101, Ginny Wealsy, swtgrl4eva06, RockChicHRDO for reviewing!!!!!!!!!! and to Linkin Park, who made Meteora, which i listened to while writing this chapter. on with the story!!!!!!  
  
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Ten  
  
"Draco, I have been keeping a secret from you, your father, and your uncle for eighteen years today. And I have finally decided to tell you. Do you know what today is?"  
  
"The twenty-sixth of October, why?" said Draco.  
  
"What is nine months from now?" persued Narcissa.  
  
"My birthday."  
  
"Exactly." Narcissa nodded to herself. "Eighteen years ago today your- Lucius was in Italy for..." her mouth pinched shut. "Business. And eighteen years ago today you were conceived. But, since Lucius wasn't there, how could that have happened, you ask yourself." Draco looked shocked, evidentially his mother had read his mind. "It happened because your father had asked Orion to watch over me while he was away." She shrugged. "Things....happened that led up to....you. Your grandfather found out, and disowned Orion, while forcing me to marry Lucius as planned. Your father knows nothing of it, and neither does your uncle. I did not tell them, and neither did your grandfather, the spiteful old man. Lucius was a different man in those days, and would have done the honorable thing by letting me out of the betrothal, and letting me marry your uncle, as I should have.  
  
"But, I was sworn to secrecy. The Fidelus Charm was put into play, and only now have I been able to tell people of the truth."  
  
Draco just stared at her.  
  
"Would you like to know who the Secret-keeper was?" Her son nodded dumbly. Narcissa, looked into the distance, and laughed bitterly. "Your grandfather. I was actually sent here to inform you that he is dead. He has left everything to you. Lucius is furious. He wants to kill you, since the will disclosed whose son you really are. Orion, it seems, was left a few things, including a letter informing him of these circumstances, about you. He is apparently on his way here at the moment." Narcissa stood up, a relieved look spreading over her face. "I feel much better now, with all of this out in the open. But, I must bid you adieu, my dearest baby Drakey- poo, as I must go speak to Dumbledore. And, then, I will be leaving for New York to see the fall lines." She picked up a fur-lined black cloak and swept out of the room.  
  
"Orion's....my......father?" said Draco, dazed. "I don't....can't see him." He looked up and over at Hermione. "Let's go, I...I can't."  
  
Hermione nodded. She dressed quickly, and threw Draco his cloak. As they walked out of the hotel Draco suddenly perked up. "It's windy, shall we run, my love?" And he took off.  
  
Hermione chased after him, wind blowing her hair behind her. She didn't notice the tall, dark figure following them. His hood was up, but hanging over the shoulder of his cloak was a strand of white-blond hair.  
  
They ran all the way back to Hogwarts. Collapsing under a tree by the lake, Draco leaned his head on Hermione's shoulder.  
  
"What do you think he'd say to me, Mione? How d'you think he'd explain this?" Draco mused, looking over the lake at the Giant Squid, who was on the other side.  
  
"He'd probably tell you he's sorry he hadn't forced it out of his father sooner," said a deep, slightly Highlander accented, voice.  
  
Draco jumped up. He pulled Hermione to her feet, also. "What. Do. You. Want?" he asked his real father.  
  
Orion Malfoy stepped out of the shadows, and pushed the hood of his cloak off his face.  
  
'He looks just like Draco!' thought Hermione.  
  
'I look just like him,' thought the shocked Draco.  
  
Orion glared at his hair, and pulled a leather thong out of his pocket and tied it back. "Damn hair," he muttered. He looked at Draco, who was standing in front of a strange girl, who was rolling her eyes at Orion. "Is he always like this?" he asked the girl.  
  
Hermione thought for a moment. "Not always. He's just a bit suprised, that's all. And hurt, because he thought that his mother wouldn't ever do.....that."  
  
Orion cocked an eyebrow. "You mean Narcissa didn't tell you? we were completely drunk. Not to mention high." Draco's mouth dropped to his well- defined chest. Orion laughed. "Yes, Narcissa and I were drinking- and smoking-buddies. My father was a high-power wizard celebrity; hers a wizard deeply involved in wizard politics. We had money to burn, places to go, people to see and were in the spotlight constantly. So, we did what many people like us did: anything and everything we wanted to. I didn't quiet down until father disowned me. Narcissa, until she had you." He shrugged it off.  
  
"Lucius has been a good father to you-"  
  
At that moment, Draco snorted. "A good father? I bloody well think not. Being beaten when you act like a human doesn't seem like something a good father is."  
  
Orion nodded in sympathy. "That is what my father did, beat me while my brother looked on and saw what he should become so that he would never "disappoint" his father. In a way, you are the way you are since Lucius was like my father. Because he is everything you don't want to be, you can learn from him. I know that I did."  
  
"I never want to be you," stated Draco. "Never. You don't care about anyone but you. You didn't even come here to try and form a relationship with me, just to apologize for your part in...me" he spat.  
  
He walked away.  
  
Orion turned towards Hermione, as if to say something. She waved him off and turned, saying only one thing: "You make me sick." The she ran after Draco.  
  
Before she had turned to leave, Orion noticed that her House badge was Gryffindor.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Draco slammed into their common room, Hermione not far behind.  
  
"That bastard!" they both yelled. "How DARE he!!!"  
  
They glanced at one another. "Jinx!" Again, at the same time.  
  
"Well, you win," Draco said. "But I can make you say my name."  
  
"How?" said Hermione, smiling.  
  
"Oh, I have my ways," purred Draco, sliding his hands around her waist.  
  
Their lips met, and Hermione sighed. This was it. There was no turning back. It was either Draco or no one.  
  
"Mmmm....Draco," she murmured.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"And so, Headmaster, Draco will need a bit of....protection. Lucius is on the warpath. I, myself, am heading for America, where an old friend will house me, but Draco..." She shrugged. "Is reckless. He will not--does not-- believe that Lucius would hurt him. But Lucius will do anything to get that money. If that means killing his son--or, nephew in this case--then so be it. He has changed since he joined the Death Eaters. At one point he was a sweet, careless boy like Draco. Now....he is a bloodthirsty, ruthless man."  
  
Dumbledore nodded at the concerned mother that was Narcissa Malfoy. "Everything that I can do to help young Master Malfoy will be done. I also believe that Miss Granger would die before letting anyone hurt him. If my eyes haven't deceived me, I think I have seen them give each other quite longing looks across the Hall at breakfast, lunch, and dinner." He smiled. "Ah, to be young and in love."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Dinner came and went, and Hermione and Draco were still making out in their common room. Thankfully, Dobby, Hermione's old House-Elf friend, noticed her and Draco's absence and had the foresight to bring them something.  
  
"Thanks, SO MUCH!" said Hermione. "We've had a trying afternoon, and they say stress makes you hungrier."  
  
Dobby bowed. "Not a problem, Miss. Dobby is happy to bring Miss anything from the kitchens. Anything at all."  
  
"Well, this is really good food, Dobby," said Draco through a three- quarters filled mouth.  
  
"Thanks you, Sir," said Dobby. He bowed again. "Dobby must be going now, Miss and Sir. Winky is wanting him to help with the cleaning." He bowed one last time, and disappeared.  
  
"You complemented a House-Elf?" asked Hermione incredulously.  
  
Draco shrugged. "It's good food." And then he took a bite out of a baked apple.  
  
"Draco?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Are you all right? About Lucius and Orion and your mother?"  
  
Draco leaned back in his chair and thought for a moment. "I think I will be. I now know that my mother is the only one who has ever really loved me. My grandfather cared for me; thought the world of me. But he didn't really love me. Neither did Lucius, with the way he treated me. Orion didn't care, once he was disowned. Every once in a while he'd send me an owl, but we weren't that close."  
  
"I think you're wrong," said Hermione softly.  
  
He looked at her sarcastically. "About my uncle? Non, ma Cherie, non."  
  
"About your mother the only person who ever really loved you."  
  
"Really," he said, a soft glint coming into his eyes. "Do tell."  
  
"I know it....because I love you." Hermione let out a sigh of relief. There. She had said it. He knew how she felt.  
  
"Well then," he said. "I was wondering when you'd say that." He then leaned over and kissed her. Hard.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Hey, mate," called Ron, from by the portrait hole. "Let's go see if Hermione's all right, since she wasn't at dinner."  
  
Harry tossed his book to one side, and rose from his seat by the fire. "Sure, let me get my cloak."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
They walked along the dimly lit halls, towards the Astronomy Tower.  
  
As they approached the entrance to Hermione and Draco's quarters, they were arguing about the Chudley Cannons vs. the Oxford Otters.  
  
They portrait swung open and Ron went in first, closely followed by Harry.  
  
"Hey Hermio....." Harry heard Ron say. He dropped into the joint common room to see Hermione and Draco. On the couch. Snogging.  
  
"No......" he whispered. "No!" He turned and crawled through the space quickly, then ran for all he was worth back to Gryffindor Tower. He was closely followed by Ron.  
  
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A/N: so, what did you think? please don't flame. anyway, eleven really won't be out for a bit, since i really need to do a couple of things. anyway, please R&R!!!!! 


	11. Multiple Perspectives

Disclaimer: I do not (to my dismay) own Harry Potter, or anything affiliated with it. Including, but not limited to, the merchindise, or movies. I do not own anything of Linkin Parks. To be perfectly clear, the CD happens to be my brother's. please, don't sue. i don't have anything of intrest except Dilbert books, which are just funny.  
  
A/N: ok, Orion is going to come off as a self-centered git/jerk in this chapter, but maybe he'll reform. *wiggles eyebrows* wow, i speed-typed. that, and i have to read science, but whateva. i've been reading Hermione/Sirius lately. should i bring him back? i'd love to since i have to biggest crush on him now. watch out, Ewan. all right, thanks for no flames, and that's why i'm posting this chapter right now. it's soooooooo much laonger to previous ones, so that's good. also: do you think i need a beta? if so, please, someone offer!!!!! anyway, when you're reading the chapter think about those lyrics down there *points* you see 'em? there from a Linkin Park song, Numb. great song they play the video on MTV2 a lot. not that i'm supposed to be watching MTV, MTV2, or VH1. don't tell my 'rents. on with the story and R&R, please!!!!!!!  
  
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Eleven  
  
Can't you see that you're smothering me? Holding too tightly Afraid to lose control 'Cause everything you thought I would be Has fallen apart right in front of you....  
  
~Numb, Linkin Park, Meteora  
  
"Ron! Harry!" Hermione called, but it was to late. they were gone.  
  
She disentangled herself from Draco, who was glaring at the door.  
  
She ran out of the common room, but they were gone. It wasn't the 'gone' part she was worrying about. She was worried that they would never come back.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Harry dropped into the Gryffindor common room, sobs racking his body.  
  
'How could she?' he thought. 'How could she do that to us? To ME!'  
  
He walked over to a couch and plopped down on it, still crying. He didn't notice when warm, comforting arms circled him.  
  
"Shh...It'll be all right....shh," murmured the soft voice of Ginny Weasley. "What happened?"  
  
"She...and...him! On the couch....I thought...that I loved her....not anymore." Harry turned and sobbed into Ginny's shoulder.  
  
She rubbed his back and smoothed his hair. Kissing the top of his head, she started to speak softly, as if to comfort him. "Shh....it's not the end of the world, love. There'll be different girls. Ones who love you back."  
  
They fell asleep there, on the couch in the Gryffindor common room.  
  
At one point in the night, Harry slid his arms around Ginny's waist. She, in turn, buried her face in his shoulder.  
  
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Ron was about to follow Harry into the Tower, but turned to go to his quarters, which were two floors and a corridor away from the Great Hall.  
  
Bursting through the door, Ron picked up a vase and threw it at the wall. It shattered, and woke the petite brunette who was asleep on the blue-and- silver couch.  
  
"Honestly, Ron," said Padma Patil, sitting up and pushing her hair out of her eyes, "must you take your anger out physically?" Padma's parents were psychiatrists, so she was sensitive to this behavior. "Now," she said, patting the seat next to her, "come here and tell Padma what's wrong."  
  
"Hermione'sdatingDracoMalfoy," said Ron, jumbling it up in a rush.  
  
Padma laughed. "That's it? I thought it was something else."  
  
"What d'you mean, 'That's it?' Hermione's dating bloody Malfoy!" yelled Ron, pitching a cushion into the fire.  
  
Padma winced. She wasn't used to this, but she should if she.....no, she wouldn't think about it. She wouldn't. "Ron, they're made for each other. He's a bad boy so he brings her out of her shell. She doesn't have much excitement in her life, and he brings it to her. He lacks order and discipline, and her pragmatism brings it to him. He'll make her run in the rain or wind, and she'll help him study. He'll bring her breakfast in bed, and take her for impulsive picnics in varying places; she'll make sure his clothes fit, and keep his feet on the ground. Not to mention keep him alive.  
  
"He's good for her and she's good for him. Have you noticed he hasn't teased you or Harry since they became friends? Being around her obviously changes his attitude. If he can bring himself to snog a Muggleborn, then he can try and be civil to you and Harry."  
  
"It's not me I'm worried about," he grumbled. "It's Harry. He's bonkersly in love with her. She couldn't tell, but he was." He threw his hands up in the air. "And then there's Ginny, who has had a crush on him since her first year. She said she didn't when we were in our fifth year, but she did."  
  
Padma made him lean back so she could massage his broad shoulders. Kneading into the tense muscles, she thought for a few moments. "Well, maybe Harry will go on rebound and realize what a catch Ginny is," she mused.  
  
"But," said Ron, frustrated, "then she'll be 'The-Boy-Who-Lived's Rebound Girl' and he'll end up breaking her heart, and she'll come crying to me and I'll be torn between my sister and my best friend. Now, I know that they say that 'blood it thicker than water' but Mum would never let us not speak to each other. So, if they broke up I'd have to side with Harry who's had so many people betray him, that if I did, he'd never forgive me.  
  
"Maybe I should just ignore it. Help me, Padma, please. You're my only hope."  
  
He felt a shiver go down Padma's body as he said that, and he grinned. 'So, I was right. She does like me. I'm glad, otherwise what I'm about to do would make things akward.'  
  
Ron then promptly pulled Padma's head down to his. "I've been waiting a long time to do this," he said. Then he kissed her.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I've become so numb. I can't feel you there. Become so tired, so much more aware. I'm becoming this, all I want to do. Is be more like me and be less like you..." sang Orion Malfoy, leaning against the wall outside of Albus Dumbledore's office. "God, I love Linkin Park," he muttered. "Too bad they're a muggle band, they could have had so many possibilities." The griffin then jumped off it's pedestal, and Narcissa Malfoy stepped through.  
  
"Ah, Narcissa," he drawled. He didn't see her hand go into her pocket. "We should talk....about our son."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione was pacing like a caged lion up and down the common room.  
  
"Oh. My. God. OhmyGod!" exclaimed Hermione. She picked up a red vase that had silver leaf on it, and threw it at the mantel. "They are never going to forgive me," she said, her voice betraying a coming sob.  
  
"Shh, Love. It'll be all right. Shh...." comforted Draco, kissing her head, cradling her head in his arms. "Shh...."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I have nothing to say to you, Orion," stated an angry Narcissa.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Meanwhile, while this was happening, Ron and Padma were kissing each other goodnight.  
  
"I love you more than peanut butter," said Ron, rather sappily.  
  
"I love you more than chocolate," returned Padma, nuzzling his nose with hers.  
  
"Mmmm....I love you...More than Quidditch!" he declared, wrapping his arms around her.  
  
"And I love you more than Ancient Runes!" Padma said into Ron's chest.  
  
"Well," Ron said gallantly, "good night, fair lady!"  
  
"Good night, good sir," she called, heading to her bedroom door, blowing him a kiss.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Oh, really?" queried Orion, a smirk on his face. "He is my son, you know. Maybe I'd like to be involved in his life."  
  
Narcissa let out an un-ladylike snort. "As if, Orion. You are just the same as the old Orion: Just a spoiled rich boy. You haven't changed." She waved off his attempt to reply. "Oh, sure you can take care of yourself, unlike before. But, can you take care of a seventeen year old? Handle mood swings? Understand crushes? Be able to communicate? Protect him from Lucius?" She leaned over in his face, leering. "Would you die for him?"  
  
He backed off, shocked at her words. "I just said 'involved' not 'father,' Narcissa."  
  
Her eyebrows rose. "But that's what Draco needs. And if you want to be involved that's what you need to be ready to be. If you ever want to be involved, you know where to find us. Until then, stay away from us."  
  
She turned, and strode away, not heeding his calls to her.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Draco looked at the clock. Swearing, he picked up Hermione's sleeping form. It was ten o'clock and they'd spent the last two hours on the couch in front of the fire. Picking Hermione up, he carried her up her staircase and into her room. Placing her on the large bed her pulled the covers up to her chin. She snuggled up to the comforter, and Draco heard a contented sigh rise from her lips.  
  
Sighing himself, he walked through the bathroom and dressed for bed. Crawling under the sheets, he wondered about how he and Hermione's relationship would work. Were they Romeo and Juliet, or were they destined to break apart, torn by alliances and predjeduce?  
  
Shrugging it off, he rolled over and went to sleep, eagerly awaiting the Sunday that would come with dawn.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Waking groggily from a dream, Harry Potter rubbed the stomach of Ginny Weasley.  
  
"How's the baby, love?" he asked, obviously still stuck in the dream.  
  
Ginny, who was wide awake, since she had woken up at seven realizing that she was sleeping on a couch with Harry Potter. "Baby?" she asked.  
  
"We didn't hurt with all the activity last night, did we?" he mumbled.  
  
"What?" she asked, shocked. Harry's eyes snapped open.  
  
"Oh, God, Ginny....I'm sorry, it's just I was dreaming we were married and you were going to have a baby..." he trailed off, embarrassed.  
  
She waved him off, more than a little embarrassed herself. "Ah, it's all right, Harry. Just as long as you don't tell Ron," she said, smiling and patting his hair.  
  
"Tell Ron what?" asked Ron, dropping into the common room. As he stood up and surveyed the scene before him, he slowly turned purple. "What the bloody hell is going on? What the bloody hell went on?" he said, advancing on his sister and best friend, who were desperately trying to disentangle themselves from each other.  
  
"Nothing, Ron," Ginny said, pulling on her red-and-gold striped socks. "Harry came into the common room last night upset, and I comforted him. We fell asleep on the couch. That's all, honestly."  
  
Ron did not look satisfied. "I'm owling Mum anyway," he said threateningly.  
  
Harry rolled his eyes. "Your Mum has wanted us to get together for aeons, Ron. I doubt she'd be mad. Since Ginny sent her that owl last night," he added on a stroke of brilliance.  
  
Ron's face fell. They'd gotten to Mum before he could. Damn. "Well, we'd better go down to breakfast then," he said grudgingly.  
  
"We've got to change," said Ginny, "and then we'll join you." She hurried up to the girls' dormitories, with Harry running up the stairs to the boys'.  
  
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A/N: so, whadaya think? good or not? next chapter: breakfast scene. warnign: swearing by Slighted!Harry, Posesive!Draco, and Protective!Ron. rolling fo eyes by Annoyed!Hermione and Ticked!Ginny. anyway, i thought this was a good chapter. if you want Orion to come back, please vote. until then i am...  
  
Manion, Evil Queen of Cliffhangers 


	12. Yelling, Bruising, and a Big Meeting

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, though I'd like to own Draco. (BTW, anyone seen School Of Rock? that drummer kid looks just like Tom Felton. Neither do I own School Of Rock). I don't own Estee Lauder, either. Though my Mom bought me that perfume, Beyond Paradise, it smells like Plumeria, which I miss since I moved from HI. I don't own anything you recognise, most likely.  
  
A/N: all right, another day, another chapter. hoping to get 100 reviews with this baby, so let's review, my homies! (ok, i did NOT just say that.) Aleatha: 1) um...I just wanted her to be a "good guy" and i don't think it's her that's evil, i think it's lucius that's evil and in the books she's in there for what? a chapter? 2) when someone is really, really mad you can yell in this hoarse voice, and it sound kind of loud, and kind of not....but i may be wrong. 3) because i like Orli, and i wanted her to have a sort of understanding of Muggles, so she could relate to Hermione. any other questions? anybody? email me at slytherinrules85@yahoo.com, and i'll try to answer them.  
  
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Twelve  
  
Ron, Harry, and Ginny were walking down to the Great Hall, with Ron in between Harry and Ginny, who were making eyes at each other. When suddenly a loud, sweet voice called out from their right. "Ron! Ronniekins! You left this in the common room," yelled Padma Patil, running up to them.  
  
"What?" asked Ron looking her up and down.  
  
"This," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and laying one on him.  
  
Catcalls and wolf whistles came from all around as Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs made their way to breakfast.  
  
Harry and Ginny, who noticed that Ron was a tad occupied, tiptoed away.  
  
After they'd made sure they'd gotten away, Harry stopped, leaning up against the stone wall. "Wow," he said.  
  
"To think," Ginny said, standing beside him, "that Ickle Ronniekins has finally found a girl. And a respectable one to boot." She looked over at Harry. "What she sees in him, I haven't a clue. What about you, how d'you feel?" She tipped her head on his shoulder.  
  
Instinctively, he put his arm round her shoulders. "Well, since I slept on it," he grinned, "I think I realize that Hermione and I wouldn't have worked out. So," he shrugged, "I guess I'll have to find someone else. Anyway, are you ready for breaky?" He held out his hand and she slipped her tiny one into his larger appendage. "My lady," he said, bowing.  
  
"Good sir," she said, curtsying.  
  
They made their way down the corridor. Unfortunately, the direction they'd gone had led them right to.....the base of the Astronomy Tower. Also unfortunately, Hermione and Draco had barely made it out of their common room without kissing. they were currently standing beside the closed portrait hole to their love nest, snogging.  
  
"Hi Hermione!" called Ginny, chirpily.  
  
Hermione and Draco jumped apart. A third unfortunate thing: with Hermione's hair pulled back in a pony tail, you could see a purple-green bruise forming right below her ear. Harry's grip on Ginny's hand tightened.  
  
"Erm, Hermione, you've got a bruise on your neck," Ginny informed her.  
  
Hermione pulled a small, silver-backed, hand-held mirror out of her bag and held it up. "OhmyGod!" she exclaimed. She smacked Draco's upper arm. "This wasn't here this morning when I put my hair up, Draco! You know the rules."  
  
Draco grinned at her. "Ah, but Mione, love, I couldn't resist." And he stroked her cheek with his thumb.  
  
Her glare faded, and she smiled wistfully.  
  
"Hermione," said Ginny loudly. "We're going to be late for breakfast. Are you and Romeo coming or not?"  
  
"Bloody, sodding hell Ginny," said Harry angrily. "Let's leave the humping rabbits to themselves. After all, they certainly don't care for anyone else." He pulled Ginny after him. She waved goodbye over her shoulder to Hermione and Draco, who were still in their own world, strolling with their hands twined, gazing into each other's eyes.  
  
"Eff 'em," Ginny heard Harry mutter. "Eff 'em, eff 'em, eff 'em."  
  
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When Harry made it to the giant staircase that led into the Entrance Hall, he stopped dragging Ginny. "Sorry, Gin," he said, taking her hands in his. "I-I don't know what came over me. It-It's just to see her with Malfoy is just too much right now." He pulled her to him. "And you, you've been so supportive. And understanding. You've been a true friend to me, and so much more. Forgive me?" His emerald green eyes poured into her own sapphire ones. "Please?" he said, in a small, pathetic tone.  
  
She smiled up at him through her lashes. "Of course, Harry. Anything time." He grinned, and kissed her hands.  
  
"Now," he said, twining his fingers through hers, "let's go get some breakfast."  
  
They walked into the Great Hall, smiling broadly. Ron was sitting at the close end of the table, facing the Ravenclaw table, a dreamy look on his face. Suddenly, he looked up, as if he had been watching the doors from the corner of his eye, and stood up.  
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he yelled. Some of the chatter in the Hall stopped. "Leave off my sister, Harry! I won't have you corrupting her!"  
  
"Ron!" exclaimed two voices. heads turned as Hermione, who was sitting noticeably farther down the table from Ron, and Ginny took on the very purple Weasley. Unnoticed, Padma Patil got up from her table and slid over to stand beside Ron.  
  
"Ronald Weasley, what do you think you're doing? Yelling at Harry in the middle of the Great Hall like that?" said Hermione, who had come over, glaring at Ron.  
  
He stared at her. Shaking his index finger at her he yelled back, "Oh, and I suppose snogging Draco Malfoy every night is any better than yelling at someone in the-What Padma?" he said, exasperated, looking down at his girlfriend and prefect partner.  
  
"Confrontation in front of a large group about your insecurities is not a good idea, Ron," she quietly reminded him.  
  
"I wish you weren't that sensible," he muttered. He looked up at his two (former) best friends. "I suppose we can continue this after breakfast," he said, resigned.  
  
"In my quarters," said Hermione firmly, before going back to her seat.  
  
Harry and Ginny shrugged and made their way to the far end of the Gryffindor table to eat their breakfast.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione sat, toying with her pancakes. Why did everyone have to make such a huge fuss over Draco? She looked up to see Draco smiling reassuringly. He gave her a small wave and glared at Zyrius Leiveir, who had said something smart to him. Most likely, about her. Hermione sighed, and picked up a slice of bacon. Chewing on it, she wrapped five more in a napkin and went back to her quarters, to get ready for the "meeting" later.  
  
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"So, you and the mudblood smart-arse, eh Malfoy?" drawled Zyrius Leiveir, over his cinnamon-sprinkled oatmeal. "Thought you could do better than that."  
  
"Shut the hell up, Leiveir, or I'll be forced to move you mouth to the place that does the thinking for you. And," he said, picking up a steak knife, and tippling it in between his fingers, "if you insult Hermione anymore, I'll do it physically. In essence, without magic." Draco grinned at the scared Seventh year, and got up from the table. "Oh, wait," he said. "I forgot to put this away." He threw the steak knife. It whizzed through the air, burying itself two inches into the oak table. It had landed right in front of Zyrius Leiveir, who gulped, turning white.  
  
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Meanwhile, Ron was still staring across the Hall at his lady love, Padma Patil. Her twin was seated catty-corner to him, rolling her eyes.  
  
"Honestly, Lav," she said to her best friend, Lavender Brown. "You'd think they hadn't seen each other in weeks, or even years, not minutes or hours." She lowered her voice to a dull roar, "you should have seen them this morning, making out in that corridor three halls down from the Ravenclaw common room!" She giggled, and Ron frowned at her. She was disturbing his thoughts.  
  
"Shut up, Parvati," he grumbled. He looked down at his toast, and started eating, his eyes hardly leaving Padma's.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Harry and Ginny ate in silence, until Ginny broke it.  
  
"Are you going to go to the "meeting"?" she asked Harry, biting into a strawberry.  
  
He watched the juice dribble down her chin. Shaking himself, he answered, "Yes, I think I should. Will you come with me? I don't think Ron will kill me if you're there, and you'll have to hold my robes so I don't kill Malfoy." He grinned cheekily at her and she, in turn, rolled her eyes.  
  
"Sometimes you're as bad as the twins," she said, laughing. She moved so her mouth was by his ear, "But sometimes that's not too bad." She rose from the table. "See you at the meeting," she called over her shoulder.  
  
Harry grinned, and just finished his toast.  
  
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Meanwhile, in the Astronomy Tower, Hermione was pacing around her common room, wringing her hands.  
  
"What a to-do, what a to-do!" she said, nervously. "What am I going to do?"  
  
Strong, warm arms wrapped around her middle. Draco whispered comforting things into her ears as he steered her over to a couch. Sitting her down, he proceeded to massage her shoulders with a vengeance.  
  
After a bit, Draco sat down beside Hermione and cupped her face in his hands.  
  
"It'll be fine," he said. "Everything will turn out right, in the end."  
  
Just then, there was a knock on the door. Draco stood up and went to answer it. It was Ginny, who held in her hand a large black bag.  
  
"She needs makeup. Stat," Ginny stated, moving past Draco and grabbing Hermione's arm and pulling her up to her chambers.  
  
The next guests were Ron and Padma, who were holding hands. Padma looked strained, as if something was paining her.  
  
"Ron," she hissed, "you're hurting me. Loosen your grip."  
  
"Oh, sorry," he apologized loosening his cinch-like grip on the petite brunette's hand. She rubbed the throbbing appendage, to bring circulation back into it.  
  
Soon after this, Harry came in, glared at Draco and Ron, and stomped across the large, circular room to sit in a squishy red-and-gold striped couch.  
  
A half an hour after that, Hermione and Ginny came down from the bedroom, looking refreshed. Hermione's hair had been put up into a bun, and her hickey covered. She smelled like Estee Lauder's Beyond Paradise, and had even put on lipstick. Ginny joined Harry on the couch.  
  
There were three couches that faced one another in that room. One was red- and-gold striped, which was occupied by Harry and Ginny; another was blue- and-silver striped, which was where Padma and Ron were seated; the last was green-and-silver, which was where Draco was sitting. All of these couches could hold at least three people if not more.  
  
Hermione looked around at each couch. Ron glared and her. Harry spread his legs, while Ginny whacked his shoulder. Draco scooted over and patted the seat beside him. She joined her boyfriend on the couch.  
  
"Now," she said. "Let's get the ball rolling, shall we?"  
  
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A/N: another cliffie! allright, miss dragonsprincess, was that a good cliffie? or not? i haven't a clue what to put in the next chapter so you'll probably have to wait a bit for it! but, it's going to be good! (i hope, i hope!) please R&R!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	13. Fighting, Partying, and Letters

Disclaimer: i do not own Harry Potter or anything to do with it, except the books and the second movie on DVD. longer Disclaimer at the bottom.  
  
A/N: ok, here's thirteen!!!! this is the longest fic i've ever written, so i'm celebrating right now!!!!!! *blows noise maker and dances to The Atari's remake of 'The Boys of Summer'* i hope you enjoy it!!!!!!! Warning: FLUFFIENESS! lots of Ron/Padma, Harry/Ginny, and a bit of Draco/Hermione FLUFF!!!!! you have been warned!!!  
  
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Thirteen  
  
"Now, let's get the ball rolling, shall we?" said Hermione, looking a bit green under her makeup.  
  
"I don't see what we have to talk about Her-Granger," said Harry. "You, a Gryffindor, have been found making out with Malfoy, a Slytherin. I see nothing to talk about but your impending House disownment."  
  
"Harry!" Ginny said angrily. "As much as I like you, Hermione's my best friend and has stuck through a lot of different things when you and Ron were ignoring me." She stood up. "If you really feel that way, I'm sorry, but I can't be with you." Ginny walked over to Hermione's couch, looking like she had just killed Voldemort herself.  
  
"Thanks, Gin," whispered Hermione. "I know how much he means to you."  
  
"It's what best friends do, Hermione," said Ginny, loudly. "Stick together, and understand each other's choices."  
  
Ron blushed at her remark. "But," he pleaded, "Hermione, it's Malfoy! The same person who made our lives hell the last six years! Who called you a 'mudblood' for five of those six years! Why him? Why not some one from Gryffindor or Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw? Why him?" He said that last bit a twinge frantically.  
  
"You don't choose who you fall in love with, Ron," reminded Padma. "I never would have chosen you." Seeing his shocked expression, she shrugged. "I probably would have chosen Justin Finch-Fletchley, he's a Hufflepuff, and nice, even temper, communicates his emotions with words, not actions. By my standards he was perfect. But then I moved in with you, and I just fell. Head over heels, truly, madly, deeply. Like the movie." She grabbed Ron's hands. "Even though you weren't my first choice, you were always on the list. I adore red-heads."  
  
"If it helps, Ron," offered Hermione. "I didn't even like Draco when we moved in together. We made a pact, though. We decided to try being nice to each other and it worked. Very well, I might add," she said, as Draco nuzzled her neck. She turned towards Harry. "I'm sorry if I hurt you, Harry. I knew you liked me, and I wasn't sure how to tell you guys about Draco without hurting your feelings. I'm sorry you found out the way you did."  
  
"Wait," said Harry, doing a double take. "Who told you? I don't think Ron did, and I know I didn't."  
  
Hermione flushed. "Ron told Padma, who told Parvati, who told Lavender, who told Colin Creevey, who told Ginny, who told me." She turned even redder. "Ginny was really upset about it. She cried for about a hour."  
  
"I remember that," said Draco, speaking for the first time, "she came in at around ten and was crying her eyes out. She looked like a over ripe strawberry, she did. Stayed here all night, and came down to breakfast still red. It was, what, two weeks ago?"  
  
"I did look like a strawberry, didn't I?" said Ginny, laughing. "You should've taken a picture, then I could show Mum at Christmas."  
  
The Slytherin couch was helpless with laughter for a few moments.  
  
"Ah-hem!" coughed Ron. "If you would please come back to the discussion. Ron, Hermione, Draco, Ginny, and Padma are okay with one another. Harry has yet to be solved."  
  
"I hardly think that I'm something that can be 'solved', Ron," stated Harry, dryly. He turned to Hermione. "I'm sorry I was a complete wanker, Hermione. And such a prat, too."  
  
"Add git, and you've the whole collection," threw in Ginny. Harry frowned at her.  
  
"But, I just had built up the whole white-picket image of you and me together. And to see you with Malfoy, that just..." he struggled with the words, "....hurt. So much. It felt like someone ripped out my heart, stuck it in a blender, and turned it on high."  
  
"What's a blender?" asked Ron, Ginny, and Draco. They looked at each other, aghast that they had said something together like that.  
  
Padma explained to Ron, Harry explained to Ginny, who had come to site beside him again, and Hermione explained to Draco, who was flicking his eyes up towards her rooms and then back at her. She stuck her tongue out at him, he moved so that nobody could see what he was doing, but Hermione yelled, "Draco! Stop that! It tickles!"  
  
They heard: "All the better for us, m'dear. Especially for me, what kind of toothpaste do you use? No, don't tell me; I can figure it out." There was a pause. "Mmmm....something cinnamon flavored, by my guess. What is it, or shall I have to 'torture' you more?" His voice lowered to a growl. "Please pick torture."  
  
"First of all Draco, dearest, there are other people here. Namely, two very upset tall, muscular guys. Secondly, it's Crest Whitening Expression, Cinnamon." She jumped up, and looked around at her friends, before looking back at Draco. "Isn't tonight the Senior Prefect party? And weren't we supposed to host it?"  
  
Draco's gorgeous gray eyes widened in shock, horror, and fear of impending death. "Oh, God," he said, burying his face in his hands. "We're dead. Dead, dead, dead. Anthony is never going to forgive us. Neither is Hannah. We're six feet under babe. Let's take care of that problem before they get here, shall we?"  
  
Hermione gave him a no-nonsense look. "No. And we aren't dead, Draco. Ever heard of 'magic' before? I'll just decorate using my wand." She pulled her wand out of her sleeve. "Orenare hic Spatium Ruber et Aurum, Viridis et Argenteus, Caeruleus et Argenteus, et Gilvus et Nigrum!" And she flicked her wand at every corner of the room. Gorgeous red and gold, green and silver, blue and silver, and yellow and black decorations appeared around the giant common room. She dusted her hands off. "Now, idn't that special?" she said before she double over, laughing.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Fifteen minutes later, the rest of the Senior Prefects came knocking at the portrait hole, expecting a mess, instead of the hoppin' party scene that awaited them. All of them had seen the six leave the Great Hall, looking irritated and frustrated. They expected complete chaos, including broken crockery and wounded personnel. But all they found was a cool party, two couples snogging on opposite sides of the room, and doorpeople Harry and Ginny.  
  
"Your cloak, Madam," said Harry, with a straight face, to Hannah Abbott.  
  
Hannah looked around, amazed at what she saw. "Damn," she muttered. It wasn't supposed to be like this! It was supposed to be a wreck, so that Dumbledore would stop promoting interHouse-relations for Gryffindor and Slytherin. She and Anthony had gotten tired of settling disputes between the feuding Houses, and wanted to have some free time to....themselves. So, they had pared up two mortal enemies, and what had happened? They were spotted snogging! All of their hard work....gone. She turned when she heard, "Your cloak, please, Monsieur," and saw Anthony come in the door. He had a look that matched hers on his face. They exchanged glances. This was not good.  
  
Meanwhile, Draco and Hermione were on a couch at the back in the far left of the portrait. "Mmmm," said Hermione.  
  
"Merrrr..." said Draco, into her. Then, the chamber muzak that they had bespelled to start when the Heads came in, came on. "Well, we'd better get up then," he said.  
  
Draco and Hermione disgruntledly disentangled themselves from one another. He offered her a hand up. She gave him a look that stated: 'I'm a big girl and I don't need your help.' And, when she tried to get up, she fell back onto the couch.  
  
"Damn stiletto heels," she muttered. "Why couldn't Ginny let me wear anything else?"  
  
"I'm thinking," said Draco, giving her his arm, "that is was because you would be attending the Senior Prefect Black Tie Social Event Of The Hogwarts Social Season."  
  
"And I'm sure that that was capitalized," she muttered.  
  
As they walked over to the amazed, perplexed, and slightly angry Heads, they plastered fake smiles on.  
  
"So, Malfoy," said Anthony, regaining his head. "How'd you do it? The decorations, I mean."  
  
Draco winced at the usage of his surname. "Well, with a bit of preparation, decoration, and a lot of Hermione's brains, Goldstien. It was her idea about the decorations a half week ago, when we agreed to plan and host it, wasn't it, 'Mione?" lied Draco smoothly.  
  
Hermione raised an eyebrow at him, then turned to Anthony. "Yes, it was, Draco dear. Oh, look Padma and Ron are here!" she said, quickly diverting the conversation.  
  
Padma was wearing a slinky black gown, and was holding hands with a black clad Ron, whose face was that of someone who refused to wear the piece of clothing that he had on.  
  
As Padma slinked over to Hermione, she threw Hannah a 'What are you doing here?' look, and said: "Oh, hello, Hannah." She then hopped over to Hermione and hugged her, and kissed both her cheeks. "Oh, Hermione dear, I do hope I'm invited to the after!" she practically squealed. And she winked at Hermione.  
  
Hannah stared at this scene. Padma, who was one half of two of the most gorgeous (and, subsequently popular) girls in school, had just said hello. To her. Padma had never said anything but "Excuse me, little girl, you're in my way," to her. And now, she was talking to one of Hogwart's most acclaimed bookworms, about 'afters', whatever those were!  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Of course, Padma dear, you're coming to the after! Would I plan something as brill as this and not invite the absolute marvy Padma Patil, my lovely girlfriend to the after? Of course not!" she said to Padma, winking back.  
  
Harry and Ginny, who were in the corner near the portrait, laughed at this as they took a breather (literally) from snogging.  
  
"Ron! So, you're lady convinced you to come, eh? I always knew you would get tied down sometime!" said Draco, shuddering on the inside at the words coming out of his mouth.  
  
"Yeah, and in this getup, too," replied Ron, knowing the game for once. "I told her, I told her no, but," here he shrugged, "you can't upset the ladies, now can you Draco? But, I guess you know all about that, eh?"  
  
Draco was wearing dark, dark green robes, with his hair tied back in a dragonskin thong. Hermione was wearing the green robes that he had bought her waaay back in the beginning of September.  
  
Draco grinned, and felt around for Hermione's hand. "Yeah, don't I know it, with one as great as this," he said.  
  
"Your cloaks, Madam and Monsieur," they heard Harry say. They turned to see Ernie MacMillian and Pansy Parkinson come into the room, both looking slightly flushed and holding hands.  
  
"Wow, Draco," said Pansy. "Top notch, top notch. Too bad Lucius isn't here to see his little boy all grown up. Or Orion." She wasn't saying this to be nasty, just to state the facts.  
  
"Well, they can both burn in hell for all I care," said Draco. Turning to Ernie, he gave another fake smile. "So, how'd you and Pansy get together? With me and Hermione it was an overdose of coffee and stress, on my part. Let's hear your story."  
  
Ernie shifted. "Weeell, Pansy and I were planning the menu, and it...just happened."  
  
"'It'?" said Draco, amused.  
  
Ernie turned red. "We kissed each other. We didn't sleep together, if that's what you want to know!"  
  
Draco nodded, accepting Ernie's answer as his girlfriend smacked his shoulder. "Draco!" said Hermione. "Do we have to have another little talk?"  
  
His eyes went wide in mock horror. "No! Please, no! Anything but that!" he stage whispered.  
  
Hermione nodded approvingly. "Good then. That solves that problem. Now, you behave or no more snogging till Christmas!" At those words, Draco fainted dead away. He wasn't pretending. This was really. "Oh, for Heaven's sake!" exclaimed an exasperated Hermione. "Ennervate!" she hissed at him, wand pointed to his chest.  
  
He stood up, and pointed a finger at her. "Don't you even joke about that, Hermione Granger. Snogging is serious business." He was so serious, Hermione burst into giggles.  
  
He looked at her in suprise, but she waved him off. "I'm...sorry...." she said, laughing. "But, your face was so.....funny!" And she burst out laughing again.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Three hours later, Anthony, Hannah, Ernie, and Pansy finally left.  
  
Hermione leaned against the closed portrait. "Phew. Glad that's over."  
  
To their suprise, an owl swooped into the room, and dropped a letter into Draco's hands, before flying out again.  
  
He opened the letter, and read what it contained:  
  
Dear Draco, it read.  
  
I'm sorry for shocking you yesterday. Your mother shocked me when she first owled me with the News, and to be quite frank I wasn't exactly delighted that I had a seventeen-year-old son. I'm sorry if I put off the image that I don't care about you, because I do. But, for now it's only as an uncle.  
  
Draco looked up and snorted at this.  
  
I do want to be a father to you, Draco, but I'm afraid that I'm too immature for that right now. If only I had known all those years ago....But, one shouldn't count the 'If onlys' in one's life. Even if I can't be your father yet, Draco, I would like to owl you every once in a while. So, if you don't mind, I'll owl you once a week just to talk. Maybe you would like to owl back? You don't have to, but it would be nice to hear from you. And please tell your girlfriend that if she's going to be sick, tie her hair back before she throws up.  
  
Yours,  
  
Orion Malfoy.  
  
P.S. What are you doing with a Gryffindor, anyway?  
  
"My father," said Draco, looking up, "is a complete wanker." He then threw the letter into the fire and went over to a desk. He wrote a return letter to his father and it went like this:  
  
Dear Orion, he wrote.  
  
No, please do not owl me, as you disgust me. I can tell that you are immature, since you continue to only worry about you and not your son or his mother who could be in danger. What I'm doing with a Gryffindor is absolutely none of your business unless you are my father, which you aren't. If I had my way, I wouldn't have a father, since they are a great bit of trouble. And, just so you know, you make me sick too.  
  
Please don't respond,  
  
Draco Malfoy  
  
He then stormed off to the Owlry and sent it. When he cam back, Hermione was pacing around the common room, a look of worriedness across her face.  
  
She looked up as he spoke. "It's all right, 'Mione. It's all right." She ran over to him, burying her face in his shirt.  
  
"What does he want?" she asked, her voice muffled. "Why doesn't he realize that you're done with him?"  
  
"He wants to be my uncle still. I...I do not want his help. Nor his false sympathy or humility. I know my uncle well enough to know that he doesn't care for anyone but his dragons and himself." Draco kissed Hermione's head. "I don't need anyone but you and mother any more. We six," he said, motioning to Harry, Ginny, Ron, Padma, Hermione, and himself, "are a family. and nothing is going to tear us apart." He looked at Hermione. "I just wish I knew what Lucius was doing."  
  
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"Now, idn't that special?" does not belong to me. it belongs to Dana Carvey, and his wonderfully funny Church Lady.  
  
Orenare hic Spatium Ruber et Aurum, Viridis et Argenteus, Caeruleus et Argenteus, et Gilvus et Nigrum translated means, literally, Decorate this Room Red and Gold, Green and Silver, Blue and Silver, and Yellow and Black. the House colors, obviously. i got this from a old Latin dictionary from my mom's days of school.  
  
fourteen is not even being thought about for at least two days. today is March 18, so i'll start writing again on saturday. so, expect the new chapter sometime around next wendsday, as the soonest. ok, well, Lucius will be written in, so count on Mean!Vigilante!EvilBastard!Lucius. but, that's a given with Lucius, isn't it?  
  
a totally unrelated question: who else find Lucius extremely sexy? he's played by Jason Issacs, who is well...you know. so, R&R please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	14. What's He up to? A bit of music, and You...

3/21/04  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or, to my EMMENSE DISMAY, Draco Malfoy. Or his leather pants. I do not own The Partridge Family, or their song 'I think I love you'. Neither do I own The Darkness or their song 'I Believe In A Thing Called Love'. Which, BTW, is a really fun song. Try and listen to it sometime.  
  
A/N: OK, here's fourteen, three days early! Woohoo!!!!!! Right now, I'm watching LotR:FotR extended version. It's really good, since the exceptionally hot Viggo Mortensen, Sean Bean, Orlando Bloom (who, i'm sorry to say, is a pansy. defination: wimp), and Dominic Monaghan. All right, thanks to all the reviewers, especially Velvet Revolution, who is a very enthusiastic reviewer. I think it was her who said I should keep D/Hr together all the year. Don't worry, I will. *sniggers evily* And, the line: "Were they Romeo and Juliet, OR were they destined to break apart, torn by alliances and predjeduce?" is meant to be more of along love. You know, were they meant to be together for life, and be in love, or were they meant to be broken up by their erspective friends/family/etc. so, does that explain? oh, yeah i remember that they die in the end. my mom's a Shakespeare fan. one of my fav movies is Much Ado About Nothing. And La La: i'm sorry, Ginny is staying. maybe i'll have Harry with Luna in another fic. though i'm fond of the Luna/Ron pairing. Ok, enough. Read:  
  
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Fourteen  
  
Five hundred miles away, in a stone Manor that sat on a cliff, Lucius Malfoy sat in a chair, overlooking the white caps of the waves as they bashed against the rock. He stroked his beloved cat, Anubis, who sat on his lap.  
  
"Soon, my pet," he murmured to the black cat. "Very soon, indeed."  
  
He stood up, upsetting the contented cat into hissing. Striding over to the door, he thrust it open, and stomped out. He walked around the halls, tracing his fingers over the paneling. This....was supposed to be his. But then that...that...bitch had to have slept with his older brother! And they didn't even have the sense to use birth control! So, now, that disappointing little bastard he thought was his son turned out to be his nephew! His bastard father had kept it from him, his favorite! Lucius growled and tipped a vase off the pedestal it sat upon.  
  
The Manor would be his! He would kill the bastard, and revenge himself against his sons-of-bitches brother and father. He would show them. Yes, yes, he would.....  
  
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Back at Hogwarts, Hermione was introducing Draco to her favorite song in the world: I Believe In A Thing Called Love.  
  
Can't explain all the feelings that you're making me feel My heart's in overdrive and you're behind the steering wheel Touching you, touching me, touching you cause you're touching me I believe in a thing called love, just listen to the rhythm of my heart There's a chance we can make it now We'll be lookin till the sun goes down I believe in a thing called love Ooooooh (huh!)  
  
I wanna kiss you every minute every hour everyday You got me in a spin but everything is a ok  
  
Touching you, touching me Touching you cause you're touching me I believe in a thing called love, just listen to the rhythm of my heart There's a chance we can make it now We'll be lookin till the sun goes down I believe in a thing called love Ooooooh (it's on!)  
  
When it was playing, Hermione, Draco, Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Padma were dancing like maniacs. Maniacs who were bad dancers.  
  
"That," gasped Draco, "is one of the worst songs in the world!"  
  
"I know," said Hermione, still dancing. "But you must admit that it is one of the most singable songs in the history of singable songs. Just like 'I think I love you' by The Partridge Family."  
  
"The who family?" asked Ron.  
  
"The Partridge Family is a American Muggle music group," said Padma. "They sing these really cheesy but fun songs. You can always sing along to their songs." She grinned at Hermione. "Hey, I think I love, I think I love you. So what am I so afraid of? I'm afraid of love there is no cure for....Hey, I think I love you. I think I love you...So what am I so afraid of? I'm afraid of love there is no cure for..." Hermione joined in after Padma sang verse once.  
  
"I love that song," stated Hermione. "I'd never tell any of my Muggle friends, because they'd think I was a geek, but I really love that song."  
  
Hermione then wrote down the lyrics she could remember, and duplicated the paper.  
  
"Ok, all together now," she said, handing out the papers.  
  
"Hey, I think I love you. I think I love you. So what am I so afraid of? I'm afraid of love there is no cure for.... Hey, I think I love you. I think I love you... So what am I so afraid of? I'm afraid of love there is no cure for....." they all sang, until Professors McGonagall, Snape, and Sinistra came in.  
  
McGonagall was wearing a red-and-gold dressing gown, Sinistra a dark blue dressing gown, and Snape was wearing one with pink bunnies frolicking over a lime-green pasture.  
  
"Say one word of this," Snape gestured at the dressing gown, "and I will make sure none of you leave Hogwarts until you are twenty-five."  
  
McGonagall looked at if she was smothering laughter. A few moments later, she spoke. "What, may I ask, are six students of different Houses doing in the Slytherin and Gryffindor Senior Prefects chamber after midnight? On a school night, what's more?" She glared at them, but her quick glance at Snape wiped the glare off, replacing it with a badly concealed grin.  
  
The Heads of Gryffindor, Slytherin, and Ravenclaw looked at their students.  
  
"And," added McGonagall, "why were you singing old Partridge Family tunes?"  
  
"Well," started Hermione. "I introduced them to this song by The Darkness, and then Draco told me that it was stupid, so I told him about the history of singable songs." She went on, telling her red-and-gold clad Head about what had transpired.  
  
"While this is understandable, Ms. Granger," interrupted Snape, "could you please tell us why you lot are up so late?" He smirked greazily at them.  
  
"Um...." said Hermione.  
  
Draco cut in smoothly. "We were having an after-party, Professor," he said.  
  
Snape crossed his arms. "Explain." Was all he said.  
  
"Well, Hermione and I agreed to host and plan the Senior Prefect Celebration Of A Job Well-Done Party. And, Hannah Abbot and Anthony Goldstien have it in for us."  
  
"Mr. Malfoy that is entirely uncalled for!" exclaimed McGonagall. "You should not speak of the Head Boy and Girl in such disparaging terms!"  
  
"Well, it's true!" protested Hermione. "You notice that they are the ones who get to deal with the interHouse arguments? And those happen about forty times a day! So, they most likely pared up what they thought were incompatible people together to show the Headmaster that it wouldn't work. Me with Draco, since it's common knowledge that we've hated each other since first year; Ron with Padma, when everyone who was here three years ago that he was a lousy date at the Yule Ball; and Pansy with Ernie, a Slytherin with a Hufflepuff, when practically everyone knows that they hate each other! If you use common deduction, you can see that it was all calculated, planned, and, as you can see, didn't work!" She blushed, seeing everyone looking at her. "Sorry. Draco, continue, please."  
  
"As I was saying," said Draco. "And we decided to have a after-party. We invited Padma, Ron, Ginny, and Harry. We would've invited Pansy and Ernie, but they looked like they were wanting some..." he trailed off.  
  
"Some what?" asked Sinistra.  
  
He blushed. "Alone time."  
  
McGonagall looked a bit flustered, but she maintained her calm. "Well, then. Mr. Weasley, Ms. Patil, go back to your respective rooms. Mr. Potter, Ms. Weasley, back to Gryffindor Tower now. Ten points from each of you. Do not maintain your 'after-parties' this long again, Mr. Malfoy, Ms. Granger, or there will be more than ten points at stake." She motioned her Gryffindorians to follow her, and swept out of the room.  
  
Snape glared at all of them, and followed. As did Sinistra.  
  
"Well, g'night," said Harry and Ginny, running after McGonagall.  
  
"Yeh, g'night," said Ron, following them out of the portrait.  
  
"Good night, dears," said Padma. "Sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite..." She drifted sleepily after Ron.  
  
Hermione turned to smile up at Draco. "Good night, my dear," she said sweetly.  
  
"It won't be good unless I kiss you," replied Draco, before sweeping her up in his arms.  
  
After a few minutes of this, Hermione pryed herself away from her boyfriend, and went over to her staircase. "Good night, love," she called, and blew him a kiss.  
  
"Good night," he called back. He turned, and went up his staircase.  
  
Climbing into bed, he murmured, "Good night, indeed."  
  
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Monday, October 27th, four days away from the ball.  
  
Hermione woke up, eyes wide in fear. Only four days until the ball.  
  
She sat up. "Oh, shit," she said, burying her face in her lap.  
  
Getting up, she put on her uniform and went down to the common room.  
  
To her suprise, Draco was already down there and doing her planned activity: Pacing.  
  
She joined him, and paced for half an hour before she realized it was seven and they needed to get a move on and go to breakfast.  
  
Tapping Draco's shoulder she smiled when he jumped. "C'mon love, it's time for food."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
They walked into the Great Hall, noticing that Hannah Abbott and Anthony Goldstien were glaring at them from the teacher's table.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I can't believe they ratted us out," fumed Hannah, attacking her hashbrowns. "I mean, even though it wasn't nice of us to do that to them, at least it resulted in them getting together! I don't see how we could possibly be punished for this as we inadvertently caused a great deal of interHouse relations!"  
  
"You can be blamed," said Dumbledore, who was finished with his eggs sunny- side-up. "Because you did it to get out of your Headly duties. That is unacceptable. You knew your duties when you accepted the post, but you somehow thought that you weren't expected to perform them. So, since you are apparently overcome with the duties that encumber these positions, you will be relieved of them after the ball is over." He smiled at them as if he hadn't just told them that he was going to disgrace them in front of the entire school. "Bacon, Mr. Goldstien?"  
  
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A/N: Ok, whadaya think? good, or no? I'm rather satisfied with myself as an author right now. *pats self on back* next chapter is really not being written until tuesday. it might be out sometime later this week or early next. now, R&R!!!!!!!! 


	15. French, Suicide, and Quidditch

3/23/04  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Please don't sue me, unless you want a life-size cardboard cut-out of Legolas (it's MINE!!).  
  
A/N: ok, here's fifteen WAAAAAAAAYYYYYYY earlier than it was due. but, when you've got the "train" full of steam, you just you have to go with it. so, read as there will be a longer A/N at the bottom.  
  
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Fifteen  
  
"Bacon, Mr. Goldstien?" asked Dumbledore innocently.  
  
"No, thank you, Headmaster," replied the addressed calmly. In fact, Anthony was incredibly angry. How dare this old man make a fool of him!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Albus looked over at Severus, who shook his head. Since Severus was an Accomplished Occulmens and Legimens, he had agreed to see what the Head Boy's mental response would be.  
  
And by that shake of his head, it obviously wasn't good. Albus sighed, and rubbed his temples. Children these days had no respect. No respect, and no reserve.  
  
He snorted into his coffee. Merlin, he was starting to sound like his father!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I wonder why Dumbledore had Anthony and Hannah sit up at the Staff table this morning?" wondered Hermione.  
  
"Well, since Percy was Head Boy, I know why," said Ginny like she was a little kid with a "secret".  
  
"Tell me, tell me, tell me," said Hermione, shaking Ginny.  
  
"All right, all right!" protested Ginny. "Stop shaking me though, or you'll never know." Hemione stopped. "Thank you. Dumbledore only has the Head Boy and Girl sit at the staff tabl when he has to tell them bad news. Or that he's going to relieve them of their duties." Ginny shrugged. "It could be either one."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Over at the Slytherin table, Draco poked Xander Milnei.  
  
"Xan," he said, poking the boy again. "Amanda was Head Girl when she was here, wasn't she?" Amada was Xander's older sister.  
  
"Yeh," said the 6th year. "Why d'you want to know?"  
  
"Well, Dumbledore has Goldstien and Abbott up there at the stif-staff table, and I was wondering if you know any reasons he'd have them up there."  
  
Xander nodded, he was in the middle of a bite of his artichoke waffles. "Yeah, only if he's got bad news he wants 'em to tell the students, or he's going to axe 'em. That what you needed to know?"  
  
Draco nodded, and caught Hermione's eye. She raised her eyebrows at him, and flicked a glance at the scowling Heads.  
  
He rolled his eyes in agreement. Before he fixed his attention to his food, he saw her laugh. Not just a giggle-laugh, but a throw-your-head-back- laugh. He noticed that she laughed with her whole body.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Fighting his way through the crowd, Draco ducked under the red velvet rope that was blocking the stairs to the top of the Astronomy Tower.  
  
Dumbledore had sent House-Elves to fetch all of the Senior Prefects, and two of the Junior Prefects, to the topmost of the Astrnomy Tower.  
  
Jogging up the stairs, Draco quickly passed Ginny, who had had a five minute head start, and caught up with Hermione.  
  
"What do you know?" he asked her through the huffing.  
  
"Absolute rien," she said, her French immpeccable.  
  
"D'Accord," he replied.  
  
They reached the observing deck of the Tower and was struck by the sight of Anthony Goldstien standing on the railing, knees bent, prepared to jump.  
  
Catching sight of them, Dumbledore hurried over to Hermione and Draco.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, if you would kindly send Twinkey, Minky, and Thinky for all the Seekers from the House Qudditch teams?" asked the Headmaster, eyes twinkling at the House-Elves' names. "I fear Mr. Goldstien may try to jump, and I want some adapt people and the ready to catch him, if need be."  
  
Draco bowed from the waist up, and walked over to the House-Elves.  
  
Dumbledore turned to Hermione. "Ah, Ms. Granger, would you please go try to distract Mr. Goldstien? I do not want him to notice the people gathering under him."  
  
Hermione nodded, and walked over to three feet away from the railing. "Anthony, why are you doing this?" she said to the teetering Head Boy.  
  
He sneered at her. "Because all of my hard work, my dilegence, my respect, my ingenuity, my everything is being taken away from me," he said, spitting as he spoke the words.  
  
"What do you mean?" She caught a glimpse of red-and-gold Quidditch robes.  
  
The suicidel maniac, also known as Anthony Goldstien, Head Boy extrodiare, started pacing. "It was all Hannah's idea. She was tired of settling the interHouse disputes. She wanted the 'little brats' as she called them, to go to their Heads of Houses to get their petty arguments settled. So, when the Headmaster introduced the Halloween Ball to us, she came up with the plan to pair up the most incompatible people together so that they'd get involved in being mad and dis aggreeable with each other that they'd screw their project.  
  
"But no! You lot all had to come up with menus, decorations, seating, etc. plans on the bloddy, sodding schedule!" Anthony glared at her. "I told her we shouldn't have done it, I told her! But nobody listens to the Ravenclaw! Nobady listens to the logical, think-things-through person!" He went on ranting for ten minutes, but Hermione was busy watching the entirety of Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff's Quidditch teams assemble below Anthony's jumping radius.  
  
"You're not listening to me, are you?" he screeched. "Well, if the one person refuted to listen to you, no matter what, won't listen to me, then I'm jumping!" He made a flourishing sort of bow. "Goodbye world!" he said, and fell backwards.  
  
Hermione rushed over to the railing and saw Anthony's form being supported by Ewan McAlpin, a Hufflepuff Beater, and Crabbe, who looked confused.  
  
She winced as she heard the words that came out his mouth floated up to her ears. "Yo, Anthony!" she yelled down to him. "Since you're the Head Boy, what are you doing knowing those sort of words?" The four Quidditch teams snorted in syncricity in laughter at this. They looked at each other, laughing, before they realized they didn't like each other.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The Senior Prefects were all sitting in the Headmaster's office, waiting to hear who he had chosen to appoint to the Head's positions.  
  
Dumbledore came in, his twinkling perrywinkle blue robes, swoofing behind him. He sat in his chair, and pulled a yellow box out. "Lemon drop anyone?" he asked.  
  
"No, thank you, Headmaster," replied the impatient Prefects.  
  
"Hmmm..." said the old man, sucking on the candy in question. "Now, there is the question of the new Senior Prefects for Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Any suggestions?"  
  
Padma timidly raised her hand. This was the first time she'd been in the Headmaster's office, and she was a smidge nervous.  
  
Dumbledore smiled benevolently at her. "Yes, Ms. Patil?"  
  
"What about Terry Boot, sir?" Padma offered. "He had wanted to be Prefect, and was a bit dissapointed when he didn't make it."  
  
Dumbledore stroked his chin. "Excellent suggestion, Ms. Patil. I believe he would be an admirable choice for Prefect. Now, for a female Hufflepuff?"  
  
There was much disscusion amungst the Prefects. Finally, a decision was reached.  
  
"How about Susan Bones? asked Ernie. "I know her, as she's a old friend of mine. She'd be good Prefect matirial, sir."  
  
Dumblredore nodded. "Again, a brilliant choice made by my student by themselves! Maybe the Senior Prefects should run the school, and not me," he joked.  
  
Everyone laughed, then looked at him, waiting for his decision for the Head positions.  
  
"I'm afraid that I need more time to think about the choices for Head Boy and Girl," said Dumbledore. "Perhaps on wendsday I will have reached a desicion. You are all dissmissed."  
  
The Prefects all walked out together, murmuring in disspointment that they didn't know who were the new Heads.  
  
Before heading off to their respective classes, Draco gave Hermione a quick kiss, that lingered on her lips as she walked to her next class.  
  
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A/N: ok, Hannah Abbott just started to irritate me. so, she's the "bad guy". i'm sorry for the not-thanking-everyone-who-reviewed, but I have over 100 reviews (woohoo) and it'd be really time-consuming to go over all nine pages and copy user names in. so: THANK YOU IF YOU REVIEWED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *glomps everyone who comes near the A/N's* please, please review. I am hoping to break 150 with this chapter. tomorrow i am taking a two-day break. no writing till friday, i'm 'fraid.  
  
ok, pick one of the following:  
  
1) Hermione and Draco become Heads 2) Dumbledore announces a Yule ball and Hermione and Draco are paired up again or 3) a combo of the first two.  
  
I have a feeling a lot of threes will be voted on. i'm having a lot of fun writing this story!! and, maybe Orion will be in teh next chapter *hint, hint*  
  
and, please suggest something for Lucius to do, since I've no idea what to use for his REVENGE!!!!!!! Ok, enough: R&R!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	16. Cause Tonight We're Gonna Party Like It'...

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, Aerosmith, Queen, The Clash, The Cure, Prince. Or the phrase 'Cause tonight we're gonna party like it's 1999!'. Or any of the songs mentioned, including, but not limited to, 'I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing.' Or The White Stripes, or anything you recognize.  
  
A/N: ok, this is a little shorter than I wanted. right now i'm watching LotR: TTT, extended version. I really hate Denethor, the evil [censored]!!!!!!!! what a awful father. also, i'm envisioning Sean Bean in tight jeans. yum. anyway, thanks for the WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!! reviews!!!! man, all of you out there are abosolutely brilliant!!! i love you!!! *glomps all the people who are reading this* i've come up with a plot line for the rest of the story. i might actually have to skip month inbetween events, just so you know. i'm afraid Dumbledore won't be making any decision for a bit though. happy reading!!!!!! (p.s. does anyone else notice that Eomer and Theoden look really good in armor?)  
  
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Sixteen  
  
'Cause Tonight We're Gonna Party Like It's 1999  
  
Monday, four days before the Ball  
  
After classes were over, Hermione Granger was visibly ticked. She had seen a notice on a bulletin board from Dumbledore saying that he had to consider who would be the new Heads for another week or so before he decided. This ticked her immensely.  
  
First years who saw her face steered clear of her in the hallway. One made the mistake of getting in her way, and she glared at him, causing him to faint. That cheered her up.  
  
She entered the Great Hall, whistling. She plopped down next to Ron and Harry, who were looking at their Objects of Affections in a besotted way.  
  
"You're looking unusually chipper this afternoon," said Lavender, sitting down next to her.  
  
Hermione grinned at her. "I learned that I can make first years faint by glaring at them," said Hermione, grinning. "It's really fun, especially with the Hufflepuffs."  
  
"Really?" said Parvati, rolling her eyes at the boys. "I find that the Ravenclaws are more fun. Because they're so smart, the childishness doesn't register in their tiny smart brains. Then they pop." She slapped her hands together, making a loud sound.  
  
A Gryffindor first year, assuming it was some sort of magic, fainted, eyes rolling up into her head.  
  
"First years," said Hermione, taking a swig of pumpkin juice and rolling her eyes.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"You know," said Hermione, looking at Draco as they walked back to their rooms, "if all of this stress keeps being heaped on we should just run away." Draco cocked an eyebrows. "We could go stay with your mom, go to New York, have fun. The works, you know?"  
  
Draco kissed the top of her head. "Love, just because Dumbledore delayed the Head naming till tomorrow doesn't mean you have to stress. Anyway, guess what I heard."  
  
"What?" she asked, ducking the wildly swinging portrait.  
  
"Prefect and their Better Halves Parrrrrtayyyyyyyyy tonight," Draco said, grinning.  
  
"So, were gonna boogie down tonight?" said Hermione. She sat him down on a couch. "Now, Draco, are we gonna party like it's 1999?"  
  
"Hunh?" Draco looked confused.  
  
"It's a Prince, or The Artist Formally Known As Prince, song. It goes: 'Cause tonight we're gonna part like it's 1999!!!!!!" She sang the popular chorus in tune a number of times, swinging her hips to the music.  
  
Draco looked at Hermione like she was crazy. "Why would you listen to someone called 'The Artist Formally Known As Prince'?" he asked.  
  
"Well," she replied, the hip-shaking stopping, "because he's a brilliant guitarist. I mean, seriously, he's like one of the Guitar Gods, along with Jimi Hendrix and Joe Perry and I think Jim Morrison. Plus there are the Rock Gods, also know as Aerosmith, Rolling Stones, The Clash, The Cure, Queen, and pretty much a bunch of old druggies from the '70's and '80's."  
  
"Rock Gods?" asked Draco. "What're those?"  
  
Hermione sighed and patted his should condescendingly. "I'm sorry for you, dear. You've never heard 'Walk This Way', or 'Dream On', or 'We Will Rock You', or anything else by Queen and those guys. But I think I have the 'I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing' single somewhere around here...." she said, rummaging around. "Wait a bit," she called as she ran up her staircase.  
  
Draco sat for five minutes, looking at the covers of some of Hermione's albums. One of them said 'The Best of Queen', and it was red. He looked at the back of the album case, seeing many song names that were legends in the Muggle world, but remained unknown to him.  
  
Hermione pounded down the stairs, holding a CD case in her hand. "Here it is," she said breathlessly. "Now, I know that Muggle technology usually doesn't work at Hogwarts, but I worked out a spell to let my stereo work." She held up a large silver rounded box, and put it on the table in front of her.  
  
"Now, what is this....Me-B thing?" asked Draco. "What's it do?"  
  
Hermione sighed. "First off, it's called a CD, secondly, it plays music. Like the Wizarding Wireless Network, except this is a wee bit different." She opened the opening for the CD, and put in the silver disk. "The song I'm about to play is called 'I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing' by Aerosmith. It was originally sung by a woman, whose name I don't know, but Aerosmith redid it for the movie 'Armageddon', which I think is a sad and stupid movie." She pressed the play button, and the music started.  
  
"I could stay awake just to hear you breathing  
Watch you smile while you are sleeping  
While you're far away dreaming  
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender  
I could stay lost in this moment forever  
Every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure  
  
Don't want to close my eyes  
I don't want to fall asleep  
Cause I'd miss you baby  
And I don't want to miss a thing  
Cause even when I dream of you  
The sweetest dream will never do  
I'd still miss you baby  
And I don't want to miss a thing  
  
Lying close to you feeling your heart beating  
And I'm wondering what you're dreaming  
Wondering if it's me you're seeing  
Then I kiss your eyes  
And thank God we're together  
I just want to stay with you in this moment forever  
Forever and ever  
Don't want to close my eyes  
I don't want to fall asleep  
Cause I'd miss you baby  
And I don't want to miss a thing  
Cause even when I dream of you  
The sweetest dream will never do  
I'd still miss you baby  
And I don't want to miss a thing  
  
I don't want to miss one smile  
I don't want to miss one kiss  
I just want to be with you  
Right here with you, just like this  
I just want to hold you close  
Feel your heart so close to mine  
And just stay here in this moment  
For all the rest of time  
  
Don't want to close my eyes  
I don't want to fall asleep  
Cause I'd miss you baby  
And I don't want to miss a thing  
Cause even when I dream of you  
The sweetest dream will never do  
I'd still miss you baby And I don't want to miss a thing  
Don't want to close my eyes  
I don't want to fall asleep  
I don't want to miss a thing....."  
  
"Wow," said Draco. "That was actually good. Those guys are better than the Weird Sisters, and the White Stripes!"  
  
Hermione did a double take. "Wait a minute. Did you just say The White Stripes? They're Wizards?"  
  
Draco laughed at her face. "No, actually they're vampires. Or at least Jack White is, I don't know about Meg. She could be. I heard that she was actually a werewolf."  
  
Hermione thought about this for a moment. "That would explain Jack's incredibly pale skin," she said musingly.  
  
"Yeah. That was a good song, who is it by again?" Draco glanced at Hermione, tearing his eyes away from the stereo.  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Aerosmith. Or, as my mother calls them, old famous ex-druggies who prance about like twenty-year-olds. They're actually really good musicians to be popular for thirty years. It takes a lot to stay a big name in the music industry. I think that their guitarist, Joe Perry, is actually something of a hottie." A twinkle appeared in her eyes. "Then again, I'm dating a Slytherin. Which is just as likely as someone liking Joe Perry. Or so I'm told."  
  
Draco cocked an eyebrow at her. "Oh yeah? Well, this is what that Slytherin thinks of that!" And he jumped her.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Harry and Ginny had gone over to Padma and Ron's quarters, and they were hanging out.  
  
"So, Ron," said Ginny, "gonna go to the party tonight?"  
  
"Hunh?" said Ron, who was disoriented, since he had been snogging Padma like no tomorrow. "What?"  
  
"Are. You. Going. To. Go. To. The. Party. Tonight?" repeated Ginny, pushing Harry away from her neck. "Stop. That tickles."  
  
Ron shrugged. "If Padma wants to, sure. If not," he grinned, "I can think of other things to do. Padma?"  
  
"Yes! It's the last big Prefect-blow out for the term! We only have one a term, so we'll only have two chances to go together, Ron! And to think, they have lots and lots of alcohol at these things, Ron. So, we can all get drunk and have fun together!"  
  
"Oh, well that really sounds fun," said Ron dryly. "Woohoo. Just what I want Mum to hear, that I got drunk and pissed off a professor because I had a hangover."  
  
"Oh, but Ronniekinns," said Padma, clutching his arm, "we'd be together!" She winked at the other two, who smirked at Ron purple face.  
  
"Ok, fine. We'll go," he muttered. "But only for you!"  
  
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Severus Snape was known for his black robes and greasy hair. Well know, in fact.  
  
But, at this very moment, he was brushing his hair as he sat in a magical dressing gown that was blue, with little green duckies swimming on the blur ocean. And he was listening to Mozart, humming 'Ode to Joy' for all he was worth.  
  
Now, normally you'd think was an indicator that he was gay. But Snape was as straight as a poker. He had a girlfriend, which was also unknown to most people. He was getting ready for his fifteenth date with none other than.....  
  
Sibyl Trelawny.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Meanwhile, Draco was shoved off the couch, and subsequently off of Hermione.  
  
"Don't you want to?" he asked her, as she was fixing her robes.  
  
"No," said Hermione, buttoning up her shirt. "I'm waiting until I'm married. It's safer."  
  
Draco threw up his hands. "Ok then. I won't pressure you."  
  
"Good," said Hermione, kissing his cheek. "Because if you did, I'd break up with you, set Harry and Ron on you, and remove certain parts of your anatomy. And not nessacarily in that order."  
  
She got up, and toddled towards her stair case. "I'm gonna go get ready for the party. See you in a bit." She blew a kiss at him, and disappeared into the folds of the curtains.  
  
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"The horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the Deep. One last time. Let this be the hour when we draw swords together."  
  
~Theoden, son of Thengal, King of Rohan.  
  
A/N: sorry bout the quote, i just love Theoden to oodles. he's like one of those come-here-i'll-protect-you! kind of guys. way to horrid that he's fictional. now, i'm going to take another one/two day break, since i kind of whatevered my creative abilities. and a lot of crud is happening righ now in my family, so i need a break from this to recharge my anti-writer's block device. please, please, please, please R&R!!!!!! i'll hug you if you do!!!!!!! and, i hope i got the lyrics right this time. if i didn't, blame LyricPlanet, cause i go tthem from there. ok, now REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	17. Seventh Year FirstTerm Prefect Rave or S...

04/09/04  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, Good Charlotte, Queen, or anything mentioned that is already out there. Please, please, please, please don't sue!  
  
A/N: "finally! an update!" that's what the reader are saying. so, yeah i've been a bit lazy. sorry. but, this chapter is only this long because i put three songs into it. also: the reappearance of my all-time crush Ewan McKalpin!!!!!!! trust me, this guy, in real life, is extremely hot. yeah, he does have hairy toes and hands, but that's a small price to pay for the hotness that is everywhere else. and don't laugh El! this chapter is really sucky, but it's setting up for the end of the story. anyone who guesses my MASTER PLOT wins a cookie! (on your computer!) so, guess, guess, guess! and Ellie, you can't guess since you helped me come UP with the ending in the first place. R&R!!!!!!!!!! (June 7: Ok, I fixed the thing with Sirius, happy?)  
  
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Seventeen  
  
Seventh Year First-Term Prefect Rave or Steel Gray Eyes  
  
Hermione ran up the stairs, and to her closet. Looking over her clothing, she grimaced. She didn't have anything that would be suitable at a first- term-Prefect rave.  
  
Then, brilliance struck her. Narcissa had told her before they had left that she could floo her anytime. She grabbed a flower pot, and walked to the fireplace.  
  
"Narcissa Black-Malfoy!" she stated. The fire turned green, a Narcissa appeared, apparently brushing her hair.  
  
She caught sight of Hermione and smiled. "Oh, hello Hermione, dear. How are you?"  
  
Hermione grinned at the fashionista that was her boyfriends' mother. "I'm fine, Narcissa, but my clothing is in desperate need of an update." Then, she told Narcissa what was the dreadful matter.  
  
The blonde woman smiled, and twirled a lock of hair around her finger. "Hmmm....I remember the night of my first first-term-Prefect rave. It was absolutely glorious." A mischievous smile crossed her perfect features. "I snogged Peter McAlister that night. Bloody good kisser, he was." She tapped her dressing table, and moved out of sight. "I'm going to go look in my closet for something," she called. "I'll be right back if I find anything......tasteful."  
  
As she waited for the stylish blonde to reappear, Hermione could hear music playing in the background. "What're you listening to?" she called into the fire.  
  
"Oh, a Muggleborn friend of mine gave me this CD called 'Queen's Greatest Hits' or something like that. I believe this song is called 'We Are The Champions' or somethin-" Her voice cut off in a girlish squeal. "Here! I've found it!" She came back in front of the fire, and was holding a black knee- length skirt, that had gauze over it embroidered in jet beading in climbing flowers. The top was a bright pink halter that was very fifties.  
  
Narcissa beamed at Hermione. "What do you think?" she asked, shoving the clothes through the floo.  
  
Hermione grabbed them, and hugged them to her. "They're gorgeous!" she breathed.  
  
A lovely tinkling laugh erupted from the other woman. "Of course they are! I designed them myself!"  
  
Hermione's look of shock made the veela-rivaling woman laugh again. "You design clothes?"  
  
"Well, of course I do!" said Narcissa. "Why do you think I'm always at the runway? Did Draco trick you into thinking that I was a ditsy, empty-headed, Laris Milton wannabe?" She laughed again. "Where ever did he get that idea? Probably Lucius." She wrinkled her nose at the name. But, I am an up-and- coming designer. About fifty people have bought my designs already, and I have orders practically flooding in, so I'll be fine. I hope you enjoy the clothes, and don't do anything I would!" There was a SNAP and the fire turned regular again.  
  
Hermione spread the clothes out on the bed. They were absolutely GORGEOUS!!! Something she would wear, but wasn't that slutty. She pulled them on, and went to her jewelry box.  
  
Opening it, she found a sliver chain that had a chunk of rose quartz hanging from it. Hermione felt that the necklace gave the outfit some class. She pulled on a pair of comfortable black sandals, and ran down her staircase.  
  
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Draco, however, had sat for five minutes thinking about what he wanted to wear. Finally, he went up to his room, and lazily opened his closet. He pulled out a green-and-silver striped polo shirt, and a pair of jeans. Pulling them on, he walked to his mirror. He ran his finger through the silvery locks and shook his head all over the place. It gave his hair a lovely tousled look.  
  
He made sure to put a little dab hair gel in their--just to keep it that way. He rubbed it from the back forward then shook his head again.  
  
He grinned at himself in the mirror. He would sweep her off her feet for sure!  
  
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They met downstairs and quietly made their way out of the castle.  
  
The Prefect rave was in a extremely original place: the Shrieking Shack. As they entered the building, the music was already on. They were playing a song by Good Charlotte: Lifestyles of the Rich and the Famous.  
  
"Only see it on TV  
Read it in the magazines  
Celebrities that want sympathy  
All they do is piss and moan  
Inside the Rolling Stone  
Talking about how hard life can be  
  
I'd like to see them spend the week  
Livin life out on the street  
I don't think they would survive  
But they could spend a day or two  
Walking in someone else's shoes  
I think they'd stumble and they'd fall  
They would fall  
Fall  
  
Lifestyles of the rich and the famous  
They're always complainin  
Always complainin  
If money is such a problem  
Well they got mansions  
Think we should rob them  
  
Well did you know when your famous you could kill your wife  
And there's no such thing as 25 to life  
As long as you got the cash to pay for Cochran  
  
And did you know if you were caught  
And you were smokin crack  
And McDonald's wouldn't even wanna take you back  
You could always just run for mayor of D.C.  
  
I'd like to see them spend the week  
Livin life out on the street  
I don't think they would survive  
But they could spend a day or two  
Walking in someone else's shoes  
I think they'd stumble and they'd fall  
They would fall  
Fall  
  
Lifestyles of the rich and the famous  
They're always complainin  
Always complainin  
If money is such a problem  
Well they got mansions  
Think we should rob them  
  
Lifestlyes of the rich and the famous  
They're always complainin  
Always complainin  
If money is such a problem  
You got so many problems  
Think I could solve them  
  
Lifestlyes of the rich and the famous  
We'll take your clothes, cash cards, and homes  
Just stop complaining  
  
Lifestlyes of the rich and the famous  
Lifestlyes of the rich and the famous  
Lifestlyes of the rich and the famous..."  
  
"That's a good song!" shouted Hermione over the first chorus. "You wanna dance?"  
  
"Of course!" replied Draco. "Unless you were talking to him!" he said, pointing to the ever-so-attractive Ewan McKalpin, who was grinning at Hermione.  
  
"Why not?" she said, and made her way over to the Ravenclaw. "D'you want to dance, Ewan?"  
  
He bowed his head. "I'd be delighted to, shall we?" And he led her out on the floor.  
  
Harry, who was there with Ginny, came over to Draco. "Hard luck, eh man?"  
  
"She asked him," muttered Draco from between clenched teeth. "Not the other way around."  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
The song ended, and Hermione thanked Ewan for dancing with her.  
  
"Anytime," he said, smiling at her. "In fact, would you like to dance later on?"  
  
"Sure," said Hermione, "but I have to dance once with my boyfriend, you know!" A favorite of hers came on. It was 'Another One Bites The Dust,' by Queen. She ran over to Draco, who was pretending to chat up a blonde girl and dragged him out on the floor.  
  
"Steve walks warily down the street,  
With the brim pulled way down low  
Ain't no sound but the sound of his feet,  
Machine guns ready to go  
Are you ready,  
Are you ready for this  
Are you hanging on the edge of your seat  
  
Out of the doorway the bullets rip  
To the sound of thebeat  
  
Another one bites the dust  
Another one bites the dust  
And another one gone,  
and another one gone  
Another one bites the dust  
Hey, I'm gonna get you too  
Another one bites the dust  
  
How do you think I'm going to get along,  
Without you, when you're gone  
You took me for everything that I had,  
And kicked me out on my own  
Are you happy, are you satisfied  
How long can you stand the heat  
  
Out of the doorway the bullets rip  
To the sound of the beat  
  
Another one bites the dust  
Another one bites the dust  
Another one bites the dust  
Another one bites the dust  
  
There are plenty of ways you can hurt a man  
And bring him to the ground  
You can beat him  
You can cheat him  
You can treat him bad and leave him  
When he's down  
But I'm ready, yes I'm ready for you  
I'm standing on my own two feet  
  
Out of the doorway the bullets rip  
Repeating the sound of the beat..."  
  
"Wow," said Draco. He'd seen Hermione dance, but never experienced it. When asked about it, she'd say "Oh, it's a bit of a ballroom Beyonce," and change the subject. He didn't know who Beyonce was, but she danced flirty.  
  
"So," Hermione said. "D'you like the song?"  
  
"What?" said Draco, looking at her non-swinging hips. "Oh, yeah. I do."  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
Three songs later, Hermione separated herself from Draco.  
  
"I'm going to go find Ewan now," she yelled at him.  
  
"You're going to ku-an your cow?" he yelled back, joking. She rolled her eyes again and set off, looking for the inexorably gorgeous Ewan.  
  
She found him by the punch bowl, looking around, presumably for her. His eyes set upon her and the chocolate brown pools lit up. "I was beginning to think you were going to stand me up," he told her.  
  
"Nevah!" Hermione said, grinning at him. "Oh, it's another Queen song!"  
  
The next song was 'We Will We Will Rock You,' by Queen.  
  
"Buddy you're a boy make a big noise  
Playin' in the street gonna be a big man some day  
You got mud on yo' face  
You big disgrace  
Kickin' your can all over the place  
  
Singin'  
We will we will rock you  
Sing it  
Singin'  
We will we will rock you  
  
Buddy you're a young man hard man  
Shoutin' in the street gonna take on the world some day  
You got blood on yo' face  
You big disgrace  
Wavin' your banner all over the place  
  
Singin'  
We will we will rock you  
Sing it  
Singin'  
We will we will rock you  
  
Buddy you're an old man poor man  
Pleadin' with your eyes gonna make you some peace some day  
You got mud on your face  
You big disgrace  
Somebody better put you back in your place  
  
Singin'  
We will we will rock you  
Sing it  
Singin'  
We will we will rock you...."  
  
"I love that song!" yelled Hermione.  
  
"Who's it by again?" asked the curly-haired brunette.  
  
"Queen. Their lead singer, Freddie Mercury, died of AIDS in the eighties the day after he announced it to the public," stated Hermione. "Very sad. He was a great singer. I think Robbie Williams sings with Queen now."  
  
"AIDS?" asked Ewan, running a hand through his hair.  
  
"It's a Muggle disease. It breaks down the immune system and then you can die of basically anything. Cold, flu, pneumonia, anything. A cousin of mine died of it when I was, oh, three. Never met him, though."  
  
"Sorry," said Ewan, putting an arm around her shoulders. "Can I walk you back to you rooms?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
And they walked off, oblivious to the cold steel-gray eyes that followed them.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
A/N: ok, so that's the end. hope you all liked it, now review!!!!!!!!!! and THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to EVERYONE who reviewed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	18. Breaking Up Is Hard To Do or Threats

04/13/04  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. If you sue, all you'll get is an old, ratty blue bathrobe that I'm rather fond of.  
  
A/N: Ha! I managed to get another chapter out this quickly! And it's rather long, too! Well, long for me. No, last chapter is (obviously) not the last one. Bashing Ewan is okay, though I am trying to make him just like he is in RL. okay, on with the chapter:  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Eighteen  
  
The eyes that followed them belonged to none other than Jon Hopkins. He was talking to Draco, who was watching his girlfriend leave with the astonishingly good-looking Ravenclaw Chaser.  
  
"Well," he said, resigned, but immensely angry, "I guess that I knew, deep down, that I didn't have much of a chance with her. At least I can get someone else."  
  
"I doubt that Ewan was taking her away to make out," offered Jon. "He's not that kind of a guy. I know he fancies her, but unless she shows an interest and breaks up with you, he won't make any sort of overture."  
  
"Well, that's comforting," said the sarcastic voice of Draco as he walked away. "But I'd rather take a chance with Lola, over there." And, with that, he walked away.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Harry watched Hermione walk out with Ewan. Knowing that Draco would want to know why she was leaving with someone else, he ran to catch up with them.  
  
"Oi! Hermione!" he called. They stopped.  
  
"Yeah, Harry?" replied Hermione. She was getting a bit chilly, she wished he'd hurry.  
  
"Why're you leaving with McAlpin?" he asked, nodding towards Ewan, who was standing a couple feet away.  
  
Hermione waved a dismissive hand. "He offered to take me back to my dorm, since I was tired. I figured that I'd go since Draco likes to party."  
  
"Oh," said Harry. "Right. Well, have at it."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Draco spent the next couple of hours in the company of Lola Striker, a sixth-year Ravenclaw.  
  
The last Harry saw of him, Draco left the shack with Lola.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Tuesday, four days before the Halloween Ball  
  
Hermione woke with a yawn. She hoped that Draco had made it back all right. And not drunk, as she had been slightly.  
  
"Stupid morons and their incessant need to spike the punch," she muttered, and pulled on her bathrobe. "Well, time to wake the Dragon."  
  
She tottered through the bathroom, and opened Draco's door.  
  
And screamed.  
  
On the floor was a girl's cloak. And on his chair, was a girl. Draco himself was in bed, fully clothed as was the girl in the chair. They woke when Hermione screamed.  
  
"How dare you, Draco Malfoy! HOW DARE YOU!" she screamed, through the tears that were crawling down her face.  
  
"How dare I?" he asked, pointing to his chest. "How dare you! How dare you leave with that Ravenclaw! Just.....leave! If you wanted to break up, you could have just said!"  
  
"Where in the world," said Hermione slowly, through clenched teeth, as she advanced on him, wand drawn, "would you get the sodding idea that I wanted to break up?! I left with Ewan because he offered to escort me back to my rooms, as I was a bit drunk and tipsy, and had a headache! He was just being a friend! Last night I may have not wanted to break up with you, but now it's over!" She slashed her wand through the air. She turned away from him and stalked away from him, out the door. "And stay out of my rooms!" The door slammed painfully behind her. he heard her mutter, "And stay away from me."  
  
Draco tucked his head in between his legs so he wouldn't faint from sheer stupidity. How could he have done that! And how could he had brought that- that girl into his rooms? He'd had every intention of sleeping with her, but couldn't seem to bring himself to it. So he made out with her, then put a sleeping charm on her. And now, she was awake.  
  
"Who was that?" she asked, her voice trembling.  
  
"My ex," he said, his voice muffled. "Now get out."  
  
"But-"  
  
"GET OUT!" he roared, throwing a pillow at her. Hard. She grabbed her stuff and fled.  
  
Draco pounded his bed. "Stupid, stupid, stupid," he said.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione stepped into the hot shower and wished that the water would wash away the hurt, the pain. It didn't, but at least she could now cry without thinking about. Water dripped down her face as well as tears. She pressed her hands up against the glass walls and cried her heart out. She felt ripped into pieces, torn into shreds. How could he?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
After her shower, she felt like she couldn't cry anymore. But, as she stepped into the Great Hall, and slung her bag over the back of a chair, her eyes met his.  
  
She had always thought that the eyes were windows into the soul, and she could feel it now. She saw anger, and sorrow.  
  
'Most likely angry at me for "cheating" and sorry that I caught him at it!' she thought, glaring at him.  
  
But her heart wasn't in it, and she felt warm water drip down her face again as she turned away from his face.  
  
A hand touched her shoulder. It was Ewan.  
  
"Hello," he said, smiling until he saw the tears. "Something the matter? D'you still have a headache?"  
  
"No," said Hermione, trying to wipe the tears from her face unsuccessfully. A hand lifted her face up, so she looked him in the eyes. His other hand came up by her eyes, his thumb wiped away the tears.  
  
"Well," he said gently, "if you don't have a headache, then what's the matter?"  
  
"Dra-Malfoy and I broke up," she admitted. "He-"  
  
Ewan smiled apologetically. "That's OK, you don't have to tell me."  
  
She smiled at him. She hadn't thought she'd ever smile again. "Thanks."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione and Ewan talked for a few more moments before Harry, Ron, and Ginny showed up.  
  
"Hey," said Hermione, much more brighter than it would have been if Ewan hadn't of shown up.  
  
"Look, Hermione, I think Draco's jealous of Ewan," said Harry.  
  
"Well that hardly matters, now does it?" she said briskly, unfolding a napkin and tucking it into her lap.  
  
"Why?" asked Ginny suspiciously.  
  
Hermione looked up. "Why what? Oh, why does it hardly matter? Because Draco and I broke up this morning."  
  
"What!" said the other three. "You WHAT?"  
  
"Broke up. B-R-O-K-E U-P! I walked into Draco's room this morning and there was a girl on his chair. And her cloak was on the floor. Obviously something went on. He said he'd only done it because I'd cheated on him with Ewan, which isn't true. I told him that and we broke up. Now, Harry, would you pass the jam, please?"  
  
Her friends sat in mute silence. Harry passed the jam tray.  
  
"You broke up?" asked Parvati. "Really? That's horrible! Well, tonight's a Girl's Night, then!" And all the Gryffindor girls whooped. "For the Sixth and Seventh years," finished Parvati. The fifth and below glared in her general direction.  
  
"Well, that sounds....fun," said Hermione, spreading strawberry jam on her toast. "Do I have to come?"  
  
"Yes," said Parvati, frowning into the distance, trying to figure out how many beat-Draco-Malfoy's-arse dummy's they'd need. "And, bring some candy. Preferably something like Three Musketeer's or Milky Way, or," she grinned, "Godiva's!"  
  
Hermione's eyes unfocused. "Mmmm....Godiva's......truffles......dark chocolate...."  
  
Luckily, Ewan tapped her on the shoulder to remind her that they had a class together, Ancient Runes. She'd forgotten that he had that class.  
  
"Oh, Hermione?" he asked as she got up.  
  
She looked into his big brown eyes. "Yes, Ewan?"  
  
He flushed. "Would you mind terribly much if I asked you to, erm, sit-next- to-me-in-Ancient-Runes?" he said very quickly.  
  
Hermione smiled. "No. Not at all."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Draco grimaced at the sight of Hermione leaving the Great Hall with that- that-that sissy-waisted pansy!  
  
Blaise Zambini walked over to him and patted his shoulder. "So she finally exchanged a real man for a great pouf, eh?"  
  
"Shut up, Zambini," he growled at the girl patting his shoulder.  
  
"Well," she said, walking away, "door's always open if you'd like to come back!"  
  
He picked up a goblet and slammed it down on the table top. It shattered and he threw it aside, picking up his bag as he stormed off.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Draco entered the classroom, and saw his girlfr-no, wait, his ex-girlfriend sitting next to, and laughing with, a sissy-waisted pansy, a.k.a., Ewan McAlpin. She glanced back, as he knew she always did, because she liked to know who entered the room, and saw him.  
  
The laughter that had filled her eyes suddenly sunk out of existence and sadness and pain replaced it. She nodded at him solemnly and turned away.  
  
Draco took a seat a the table behind theirs, glaring at the Raveclaw's head while he made his notes.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
After class, Hermione and Ewan made their way to DADA and stopped outside the door.  
  
"Well,erm," he said, flushing again, "this is where I leave you. I have, erm, Transfiguration right now, so I've got to go."  
  
They stood awkwardly for a moment before Hermione gave him a short hug and fled into the classroom.  
  
Ewan stood for a moment, grinned and started to run to his class. With any luck, he'd be there with time to spare.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ewan had almost made it to Transfiguration, when a hand popped out and grabbed his cloak and slammed him against the wall.  
  
Draco moved to stand in front of the slightly prone body of Ewan.  
  
"Look, McAlpin, I've nothing against you except for this: you stay away from Hermione."  
  
"Why should I, Malfoy?" said Ewan. "Because she might like me? I'm not going to force her into anything, you know."  
  
"Yeah, I know that. You Ravenclaws are a honorable bunch. But, stay away from her. I plan to get her back." Draco glared at him. "And you'd better not ruin it."  
  
Draco pushed Ewan towards his class. "Now, get out of my sight. And remember what I said." He walked away.  
  
"Or what?" called Ewan after Draco.  
  
The right side of Draco's face appeared over his shoulder. "Or else." He turned a corner and disappeared.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: okay, for clarification: Ewan (in REAL LIFE) is NOT a 'sissy-waisted pansy'. in college, he played rugby until he busted his knee. *sighs, and looks at mental images of Ewan* and he really is a hottie (by my standards).  
  
also, on a different note, this is the longest story i've ever written!!!!!!!!!!!! *blows noisemaker* *stops, because mother is yelling at her* woop woop!  
  
also: condolences to my bro, who was going to prom until hsi date backed out. (since we're homeschooled, we can't go to prom unless someone who goes to a public school asks us.)  
  
next chapter is not going to be ready for a while, because i've little idea as to what to put into it. and, let's see if you cna break 200, because i'm not uploading 19 until i have 200 reviews!!!!!!!! *cue the evil muzak*  
  
So, R&R!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	19. The Holy Grail And An Almost Beat Down

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I really don't (though I'd like to) own Monty Python or anything affiliated with it.  
  
A/N: horsekrazy08: my 'rents bought it for me for Christmas. i went into the living room (they had the idea to have us enter by age so it was dad, mom, bro) looked around to see where everyone was, and low-and-behold to my left was Legolas! turns out they bought him at FYE. so, that's the whatever for today. ok, this chapter is dedicated to my fencing coach, who just gave me my last Beginning lesson. you go Scott! and, El, no offense meant to your fam. i'm not completely basing this off of them and you! ok, on with the story!!!!!!!!!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Nineteen  
  
When Hermione got out of DADA it was noon. She sighed, hoisted her bag over her shoulder and trudged off to the Great Hall.  
  
Harry and Ron were still too shocked about her sudden break-up with Draco.  
  
They didn't get it, they said. One day it was going fine and strong and then, poof! It's over!  
  
She didn't offer another explanation. She figured she'd wait to tell them at least until Christmas, maybe longer.  
  
Entering the Great Hall, she caught Ewan eye, and smiled at him. He smiled back at her, but made no move to come over. Sadly, she went to sit in between Parvati and Lavender, the only people who currently made sense, however scary that was.  
  
"Hey," she said. And was suddenly accosted by questions.  
  
"Ok," said Parvati. "I've worked it all out. We're having an all-House sixth and seventh year Girl's Night tonight in Ron and Padma's rooms."  
  
"Where's Ron going?" asked Hermione.  
  
Parvati dismissed Ron with a wave of her hand. "He's going to stay with Ernie MacMillian, because Pansy's coming to stay with us, so he'll have extra room."  
  
"That is," interjected Lavender, "if they can pry themselves away from each other long enough." She nodded, smirking, at Ernie and Pansy, who were sitting across from another at their separate tables, but managed to hold hands all the same.  
  
"True," said Parvati. "All right, we've got twenty girls coming. Including Padma, Lavender, Ginny, Pansy, Millicent Bolstrode, Susan Bones, Lacy Jenkins, and a first year exception, Elisha Rose-Wilde."  
  
"Oh, you're including El?" asked Hermione happily.  
  
Parvati looked at her scandalized. "Of course! She stands to take over Lavender and my positions as the School's Official corespondents!"  
  
Hermione's jaw dropped. "You mean, all the gossip from all these years has been your job?!"  
  
"Great, isn't it?" said Lavender, smugly. "We get paid, too. Ten Galleons a week."  
  
"Ten Galleons a week!" exclaimed a shocked Hermione. "That's-that's 400 Galleons a year!"  
  
"Yes," said Parvati, munching on a piece of pound cake, "and we've been doing it since first year, too!"  
  
"You mean," said Hermione, Galleon signs (which look remarkably like pound signs) flashing in her eyes, "that you've made 2400 Galleons since first year alone?"  
  
"Each," said Lavender smartly. "Not counting what we make from submitting article to The Daily Prophet."  
  
"What kind of articles?" asked Hermione suspiciously.  
  
"Fashion. You know, what the hip girls and guys are wearing in their down time at the bit HG."  
  
"What in the world to you do with all of the money?"  
  
"Well, we invested some into the Wizard's stock market and made at least ten thousand back," said Parvati, twirling a piece of her hair around her finger, while looking at Terry Boot, who gulped.  
  
Hermione gaped at them again.  
  
"And we've been saving most of it, since we want to open a boutique in Diagon Alley once we've graduated. We've been getting request to feature clothes from this new up-and-coming designer, Narcissa M, but we're going to have to see some samples of her line first," said Lavender.  
  
"I have some of her clothes," remarked Hermione. "You were at the party last night, weren't you?"  
  
"Yea," they both said.  
  
"Well, the clothes I was wearing were by her. She and I are like this!" said Hermione, crossing her fingers.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
They talked about clothes for a few more minutes until an owl swooped down and dropped a letter onto Hermione's plate.  
  
Dear Hermione, it read.  
  
Since I've been told I'm to stay away from you, I had to write you a letter. I'm really sorry we couldn't get to know each other more. I thought maybe we could've been friends. Now, don't worry, it wasn't Harry or Ron who told me to stay away, it was some one else. But, he never told me I couldn't write to you, so we could correspond by letter. But only if you want to.  
  
Yours,  
  
Ewan McAlpin  
  
She folded the letter up again and looked across the room at Draco, who was watching her. She glared at him, and flipped him off. Then, she stood up and walked over to Ewan's chair.  
  
"Hey, erm, Ewan," she said.  
  
He looked up and smiled. "Hey."  
  
"Would you, erm, like to go to the Three Broomsticks with me on Thursday?" They had a Hogsmeade day on Thursday just so that everyone had a chance to get a last-minute item for the ball.  
  
"Yeah, I'd love to," he replied.  
  
"Ok, I'll meet you in the Entrance Hall then?"  
  
"Yeah, how about at ten?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"See you."  
  
"See you," replied Hermione, walking back to her seat.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione sat back down in her seat and looked, wide-eyed, at Parvati, who was smiling approvingly.  
  
"I cannot believe I just did that," she said.  
  
"Well done, m'dear," said Lavender 'Flavor-of-the-week' Brown. "The first step to recovering is moving on." She turned her head slightly, eyeing Ewan up. "And I'd say you've got yourself a great rebound/moving on guy, if I do say so myself."  
  
Hermione's head, which now lived cupped in her hands, came up out of it's cave a little. "Really?" she asked.  
  
"Really," said Parvati, patting her shoulder. "Anyway, back to the planning. For foods, what do you think about an arrangement of pizzas, followed by many, many, many boxes of Godiva truffles?"  
  
Hermione's unfocused look came back. "Mmmmmmmm............Godiva's........" she said.  
  
Parvati checked something off a piece of parchment. "I'll take that for a 'Yes, please!'," she said to Lavender, who nodded. She snapped her fingers in front of Hermione's face, who jumped. "Ok, so for movies, I was thinking 'Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail', what do you think?"  
  
Hermione grinned. "I love Monty Python," she said. "They're so bloody funny!"  
  
"Yeah, me too," said Parvati.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
They planned the rest of the party out, and went their separate ways for the inconvenience that was school.  
  
As soon as classes were over, Hermione ran back to her common room and almost managed to make it to her stairwell, when Draco called after her.  
  
"'Mione, we need to talk," he said, from by the fireplace.  
  
"No, I don't think we do, Malfoy," she said back, not looking at him. If she looked at him, she'd remember things about and......never mind. She wasn't going to think about that. "Anyway, I'm not going to be here tonight, as there is a Girls' Night. I believe that the Boys will be hanging at Pansy and Ernie's, just so that you know." And she ducked under the tapestry, ignoring his voice as it called her back to him.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Up in her room, Hermione pulled out an old parachute kit bag she'd gotten in a thrift store. It was American, and presumably they'd sold it when it became a bit too ratty.  
  
She was packing for the night when she heard a popping sound from her fireplace. Walking over, she saw a person that looked remarkably like a telemarketer in her fireplace.  
  
"Narcissa Black-Malfoy for Hermione Granger, c/o Hogwarts School. Will you accept the charges?" said the nasal voice of the telemarkter woman who must be the operator.  
  
"Erm, what is this?" asked Hermione, who really didn't know what was going on.  
  
The woman looked over her half-rimmed librarian's glasses and frowned. "Collect Floo-call, don't you know what they are?" Hermione shook her head. "Muggleborns," muttered the operator. "Well, do you accept the charges or not?"  
  
"Yes," said Hermione.  
  
"Transferring your call," came the extremely nasal response. The clicking of a couple of buttons came through the connection, and Narcissa's face came up in the fireplace.  
  
"Hermione Granger! Why in the world did you break up with my son!?" said the outraged voice of Narcissa Black-Malfoy.  
  
"You know, Narcissa," said Hermione, grabbing the clothes that Narcissa had given her, "I don't want to talk about it right now. And here's your clothes back. End call."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As she walked past Draco in the common room, she commented casually, "I see you sicked your mom on me."  
  
Draco started. "What?! No, I told mum we broke up, but I didn't tell her to do anything, well, untoward, if that's what you mean."  
  
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "So, your mum just collect floo's me and tries to chew me out on her own?"  
  
"I guess. Mum can be a bit.....protective," he said lamely.  
  
"Really," Hermione said sarcastically. "I hadn't noticed. Well, she just floo'ed me, yelling at me for breaking it off with you. So, if you don't floo her and tell her what really happened, I'm going to burn your butt off tomorrow morning. Night, Malfoy."  
  
Hermione stepped out of the portrait, leaving behind a very confused Draco Malfoy behind her.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione stepped up to Padma's digs and said the password. "Girls rule, Boys drool." And the mermaid portrait, who was giggling and flirting with a merman portrait across the way, swung open.  
  
Hermione came in to be assaulted by cries of "Eccu eccu mau mah!"  
  
"What in the world?" she said through the laughter.  
  
Parvati made her way over to Hermione. "Oh, it's just a line from that movie. We just watched a bit, but we can restart it if you'd like."  
  
"Yes, please!" cried Hermione.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
So, they watched Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail.  
  
By the time they got to the Black Knight, everyone was laughing.  
  
"Come back here! I'll bite your legs off!" they yelled at the TV, laughing heartily.  
  
Parvati, through hook and crook had managed to get permission to use a Muggle TV and DVD player for the night. So, she'd Owled her mum for a couple of funny movies to watch.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Meanwhile, the guys were over at Ernie's, wringing their hands and pacing.  
  
"Oh, dear. Oh dear, oh dear oh dear," said Harry. "Ginny's going to talk about our 'relationship' and they're going to make a joint decision to dump me! They're going to ruin me!"  
  
"What about me?" asked Ron, also pacing. "My girlfriend's a twin! Her sister's there! They could do one of those 'can you tell us apart?' plans, and she'd break up with me if I made one mistake!"  
  
"Hah!" said Draco, who was accepted once he'd told the truth. They didn't blame him, after all they were guys, an inferior species. "Hermione's in there where they're supporting her decision to break it off with me! And encouraging her relationship with that-that-that sissy-waisted pansy wanker!"  
  
"And what about me?" said Ernie. "My girl's in there, probably telling everyone what we've done and every intricate detail!"  
  
"Have you, you know?" asked Terry Boot.  
  
Ernie turned crimson. "No. We decided to wait if--or until--we get married. But my former girlfriend's in there and she might try to sabotage this for me!"  
  
"Who your form?" asked Harry.  
  
Ernie turned scarlet. "Well, she's a first year....."  
  
"Whoa man, you don't date firsties!" said Justin Finch-Fetchley. "It's like, disgusting."  
  
Ernie blushed harder, if that was possible. "Well, we went out in the summer. For about a week. So, she wasn't really a first year."  
  
"But, still!" exclaimed the honor-bound Justin. "It's not good, man."  
  
"She didn't tell me she was eleven!" defended Ernie. "I thought she was older. She looks much older, trust me. Or, at least, she did in the summer. I think she doesn't because I know how old she is."  
  
"And her parents just let you take her out?" said Terry incredulously.  
  
Ernie shrugged. "Her mom doesn't care much. Neither does her stepfather. Or her stepbrother, for that matter."  
  
"Who is it?" asked Ron.  
  
"Elisha Rose-Wilde," said Ernie.  
  
"Wait a moment," said Jon Hopkins, who was on the other side of the room. "I could swear you just said Elisha Rose-Wilde. Did you?"  
  
"Yeah," said Ernie slowly.  
  
"Well, then," said Jon. "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU DOING WITH MY LITTLE SISTER! YOU PERV!" he yelled, then calmed. "I hope you enjoyed your life," he said, advancing on Ernie, "because it's about to end."  
  
"She's your sister?" asked Terry, distracting Jon.  
  
"Yeah. Mum and Dad divorced when she was, like, two. We haven't seen each other or our opposite parents since then. I lived with Dad in Ireland, and she lives in Bath with Mum." At the mention of his mum, he spat into the fireplace. "Awful, greedy, self-obsessed rabbit woman," he growled. "Took El from me."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"So," Hermione said. "Let me get this straight. Your brother is Jon Hopkins? The Jon Hopkins? The Jon Hopkins that most girls (excepting myself of course) drool over? The Jon Hopkins that is so drop-dead sexy that when he handed a book back to a girl who had genuinely dropped it, she fainted?"  
  
"Yep," said Ellie smugly. "The one and same. 'Cept we haven't seen or heard from another since I was two and he was eight. Mum didn't want him, because she hates boys. So, she took me to Bath, 'way from Da and Jon."  
  
"I'm so sorry," said Hermione. She looked into the crowd of girls, who were wiping away tiny tears and motioned them closer. "Group hug!" she shouted, and they all dived onto Ellie.  
  
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A/N: ok, that was a REALLY long chapter, eh? Snaps for Fairy Lights, who was my 200th reviewer!!!!!!!!!!!! *screams incohereantly* anyway, ch. 20 will be out in a bit, but i've no idea what to put in it!!!!!!  
  
love you all!!!!  
  
slytherinrules85, or Manion. 


	20. Worries and Sleepovers

04/20/04  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or Lord of the Rings. They belong to large corporations.  
  
A/N: ok, this chapter is rather short, but whatever. I'm going on a trip this weekend, so I'm not going to write until next Tuesday, which is a week from today. I've tried to implement a bit of Monty Python (which I don't own) based humor into this chapter. So, keep that in mind whilst reading. A hug to my friend Alex, who reviewed!!!!!! Which means she checked her email!!!!! Which she doesn't do often! Also, happy late and early birthdays to my friends Ellie, Beth, Anja, and Brendan!!!!! so, everyone, this is the longest story i've ever written!!!!! Actually it passed that mark about nine chapter back, but whatever. read on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Twenty  
  
"So, you see," said Jon. "I have to beat down on you. She's my sister, and you've impinged on her honor."  
  
"Now that's something you don't hear often," said Justin to Harry. "'Impinged on her honor,' usually it's 'You screwed my sister off! prepare to die!'."  
  
"I wouldn't know," said Harry. "But I've heard Ron practicing in front of the mirror."  
  
"Really?" said Justin.  
  
Harry nodded. "Yeah, I think he has to practice being mean to me, his best friend." He leaned closer to Justin. "Personally, I think it's a bit, well, pathetic."  
  
"I agree," said Justin.  
  
"Do you mind?" asked Jon. "I'm trying to threaten someone here."  
  
"Oh, sorry," said Justin. "By all means, continue. Don't let us interrupt."  
  
"You aren't interrupting, you're just distracting me. Would you mind not talking?"  
  
"Oh, all right," said Justin as if he was doing Jon a great favor.  
  
But, in the crossfire, Ernie had run away into his rooms.  
  
"Finally," said Jon. "Ewan, you owe me five quid!"  
  
Harry stared. "You knew about this?" he said in astonishment.  
  
Jon grinned. "During the summers, I stalk my sister. Tell Da, I'm going out to visit friends in the country for a bit, go to Bath, and follow her 'round. Knew Ernie was dating her. Bet Ewan how long under threat of pain it'd take him to run for it. I got closest, I get the five quid."  
  
"Ah," said Harry, a bit dizzy.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Aaag! Get off! You're squishing me!!!" yelled Ellie, from under the dogpile of pajama clad teenage girls.  
  
"Yes! Get off her!" yelled Hermione. "We have yet to watch a tearjerker! I'm voting Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring!"  
  
"That's not a tearjerker!" said Padma.  
  
Hermione nodded emphatically. "Oh, yes it is! I cry every time Gandalf "dies". Plus, who says that you can't have hot guys in a tearjerker?"  
  
"No one!" yelled everyone.  
  
And they put LotR:FotR the Extended Version into the DVD player and settled down to watch it, waiting in expectancy for the ever-so-lickable Legolas to show up.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I wonder what they're talking about?" asked Harry, to no one in particular.  
  
Jon stretched his feet onto the table. "Well, Susan told me that they'd be watching movies, so I'm sure that they're talking about whatever hottie is in the movie." He sat up suddenly. "Oh, my God. What if they are talking about their love lives?"  
  
This caused all of the guys to sit up from where they were playing chess (Ron and Terry), Exploding Snap (Harry, Justin, and Ewan), and napping (Draco, Ernie [who had come out of his rooms], and Jeremy Walsh) and sweat.  
  
"What've you got to worry about, Jer?" asked Ernie.  
  
"Well," said Jeremy Walsh, otherwise known as Jer, "my girlfriend and I are, erm, well....."  
  
"Oh, come on spit it out!" yelled Draco from the other side of the room.  
  
"Engaged," muttered Jer.  
  
"Hah!" said Justin. "She sent out the big bait and he fell for it, hook line and sinker, I bet!"  
  
Jer glared at Justin. "No, we did not sleep together. There is more than that you know!" His glare softened as he thought of his fiancee. "We fell in love. And I asked her this summer at my grandfather's one hundredth birthday. We're getting married in July."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Legolas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" screamed all the girls, throwing popcorn at the screen. "We looooooove you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
While Hermione was drooling over Aragorn. "Look at you sweat, dripping down your face......." she trailed off.  
  
"That's sick," said Padma. "Drooling over a guy who could be your dad."  
  
"Hey!" exclaimed Hermione. "He's hot!" She turned back to Aragorn. "If you aren't interested in Arwen, lovey, just call me!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I'll bet they're comparing kissing skills," moaned Terry. "I can hear them. 'He's just snogarific!'!"  
  
"'Snogarific'?" said Draco, a bit amused. "That's not a word."  
  
"I know, but that's probably what they're saying!" moaned Terry (again).  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Noooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gaaaaaaaannnnnndaaaaaaaaalllllllllffffff!" they screamed, turning to each other and sobbing into shoulders.  
  
"Oooh! Look!" squealed Ginny. "Legolas! Sad!"  
  
"Aaaaah! Legolas! Don't be sad!" they screamed again.  
  
Then they went back to crying.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Really, Terry, 'snogarific'?" said Harry. "I mean, even I could come up with something better than that."  
  
"Oh, really?" said Terry, challenging Harry. "Let's see then."  
  
"All right," said Harry. "They'd be like, 'You should really snog this guys he's got great technique!' or 'The things [blank] does! It makes me want to swoon!'. Shite like that."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"AAAAAGH!" they cried. "Gaaaannnndallllfff!"  
  
"Ooh!" yelled Hermione. "Haldir! The dead-sexy Elf who is as cold as ice!"  
  
"Ooooh!" they said, coming out of their mourning to coo over Haldir.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I know," said Ron, "that it's hard to come up with stuff like that. But, really, 'snogarific?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The movie ended, and they decided to go to bed, because they couldn't have baggies under their eyes the next day, could they?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Harry turned over under his comforter, and heard Neville, who had arrived late at the boy's hang-out, mutter in his sleep, "Snogarific...."  
  
Harry laughed himself to sleep and made a mental note to tease Neville the next day about it.  
  
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A/N: who else finds the phrase 'snogarific' exceptionally funny? *raises hand* memememememe!!!!!!!!!!! so, all, have a nice week because i'll be on the road by three thirty on Friday!!!!!!!!!! love ya!!!!!  
  
slytherinrules85 


	21. All Bets Are On and A Meeting

05/03/04  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.  
  
A/N: Hello, everybody! First of all, I'm going to thank you for my WONDERFUL reviews and reviewers. Secondly, I would like to request that you not swear in your reviews. Thank you. And, now I have some good news and some bad news. First, the bad news: This will be the last chapter out for at least two weeks. Why? That's the good news: I'm going to London! On vacation! Cool! So, without further ado, read on!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Twenty One  
  
Wednesday, Two Days Before The Ball  
  
Hermione rolled over in her magically-inflated air mattress. Yawning, she sat up and looked at the sea of mattresses that covered the floor of Padma and Ron's Common Room floor.  
  
She rose, and tiptoed her way to the bathroom. On her way to the staircase, she heard a "pisst" and jumped. Turning, she saw Ron's head poking through the portrait hole.  
  
"What are you doing, Ronald?" she hissed back at him.  
  
He blushed, and looked behind her. "I was wondering if there's a chance of me getting to my room before eight o'clock tonight," he said loudly, then beckoned her closer. "Look, the laddies have a bet that you gals talked all night of your relationships. Now, I've bet fifty Galleons that you just watched those Muggle movieos. What'd you do? Cause, it's actually not to late to change my bet, and I haven't fifty Galleons." He saw her contemplating face. "Please tell me 'Mione. I've nothing to give to the winners if I lose."  
  
Hermione sighed. "We just watched some DVD's and cried, Ron. I hope you win your bet, now go away." She slammed the portrait closed in his thankful face.  
  
She pushed Padma's curtain aside, and climbed the carved staircase, feeling the etchings on the rail.  
  
Hermione went into Padma's room, and opened the bathroom door.  
  
Turning on the shower, she sighed as the warn water cascaded down her head. "Ah.....joy," she murmured.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ron rushed back into Ernie's Common Room, flushed.  
  
"Harry, mate, I'm going to have to borrow the Firebolt. It's impossible for me to get into my rooms without flying onto the balcony."  
  
"Sure, Ron," said Harry. Then, he smacked his forehead. "You can't! We have Quidditch practice in half an hour!"  
  
"But, who'll get my clothes for me?" asked Ron.  
  
"I'll get 'em," said Draco. "I've nothing to do. So, how do I get into your rooms, eh?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Five minutes later, Draco touched down onto Ron's balcony. He went into Ron's rooms and packed a duffel of clothes for Ron.  
  
Walking past the bathroom door, he heard the shower running. Deciding he'd see who it was, he stuck his head through the door.  
  
And saw Hermione.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As Hermione got out of the shower, she heard an intake of breath coming from Ron's room. She turned and saw Draco, standing there, mouth agape staring.  
  
So, she did the only thing she could think of. She screamed.  
  
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Luckily, Draco hadn't seen anything. Or much, as he admited under futher interigetion.  
  
'Interigetion' as in, 'the girls heard Hermione scream, ran up the stairs, and tied Draco to a chair while they lit their branding, a.k.a. curling, irons.  
  
"I can't belive that you thought, 'Hmm, the water in the shower's running. Think I'll take a peek to see who's in there,'" said Hermione, seething. She had a towel wrapped around her body and was pacing back and forth as the girls curled Draco's hair to 'see what it looked like,' according to them.  
  
"Look, Hemione, I honestly had no idea that you were in there!" protested draco. "If I had, I wouldn't've done that. I'm sorry. AND WOULD YOU GET YOUR BLOODY CURLING IRONS AWAY FROM MY FREAKING HEAD!!!!!" he yelled at the women behind him, twisting to see their giggling forms.  
  
Hermione stifled a laugh. "All right, Malfoy, I'll belive--or at least try-- you. But, never look into a strange person-" But, the laughs broke through.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Draco climbed through the guy's current hide-out, his hair as Gerber baby curly mess.  
  
"Whoa, Draco, who shoved you through the doll machine?" yelled otu Dean Thomas.  
  
Draco flipped him off. "Up yours, Thomas!" he yelled to the youth across the room.  
  
"So, what happened?" asked Harry, from a couch. "Why were you gone so long?"  
  
"Well...." said Draco, and proceded to tell them the abridged version of what had transpired.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione stood in front of the gryffin that marked Prof. Dumbledore's office. Everyone else had already gone in, and she was the last--or so she thought--one to get there.  
  
"I can do this," she mutter, making a fist. "I can."  
  
She walked up, said the password and entered the office.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"You do realize that if you'd seen more than that, Ron and I'd have to kill you," said HArry in a reasuring tone.  
  
"You could try, Potter. You could try," said Draco. "Where is Weasley, anyway?"  
  
Harry waved his hand dissmisively. "Oh, at some Senior Prefect-Oops."  
  
"Oh, bugger!!! I forgot!!" yelped Draco, leaping over the back of the sofa and out the door.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Draco fell into Dumbledore's office five minutes late.  
  
"Sorry, sir," he panted. "I, erm, uh..."  
  
"Forgot?" suggested Dumbledore wisely. "I myself do that from....time to time, Mr. Malfoy. PLease sit down."  
  
Draco flushed, and sat in the last availible seat. The one next to Pansy and Ernie, who were holding hands and looking at each other all lovey- dovey.  
  
"So, Messers Malfoy, Boot, MacMillian, and Weasley, and Misses Parkinson, Patil, Bones, and Granger, I have called you here to announce that we--the faculty and I, I mean--have decided to not bond you to your planning partners as dates--or escorts, Ms. Patil--to the Ball. You may, however, decide to go with your partner, but that is entirely your decision."  
  
"Excuse me, Headmaster," said Susan Bones timidly.  
  
"Yes, Ms. Bones?" asked Dumbledore, over his half moon glasses. "What is it?"  
  
"Well, sir, I was wondering who was going to be Head Boy and Girl?" she managed to squeak out.  
  
Dumbledore smiled benvolently. "That, my dear, won't be decided until after the ball. Currently, the Senior Prefects are working as a Senate in reference to decisions in their garestiction."  
  
"Huh?" asked a very confused Susan.  
  
Dumbledore, though very wise in the future movements of He-Who-Must-Not-Be- Named, had no idea what Ms. Bones meant. So, he looked at his favorite Prefect for a translation.  
  
"Susan wants to know what that means in the speach of teenagers," explained Hermione. She looked like she wanted to put a blanket around Dumbledore's shoulders, give him a lolipop and tell him everything was going to be all right.  
  
"Oh. Well," said Dumbledore, "it means, Ms. Bones, that the Senior Prefects are taking the decisions that fall under their athority and are voting on it in a Democratic fasion. Likes the Americans, but faster."  
  
"Oh," replied Susan, blushing.  
  
"Well!" said Dumbledore, clapping his hands together. "This concludes our last meeting before the Halloween Ball! I hope you all have a nice day tomorrow at Hogsmeade! Dissmissed!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"So, um," said Draco, scratching an imaginary itch behind his ear. "D'you still want to go with me? To the ball? Or not?" He was, of course, talking to Hermione, who stopped and looked at him like he had asked her to bear his firstborn.  
  
"What do you think?" she asked sarcastically. "I have every hope that Ewan McAlpin asks me to the ball, since we broke up. I hope you have a nice time, though." And, with that, she walked off down the opposite corridor.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: *go AW* awwwwwww.....poor Draco! Well, I hope you liked it, please review!!!! As always, I will update when (and sometimes before) I promise, so expect your next chapter sometime around the seventeenth or later.......sorry for the delay of it, but it'll take time to get used to being home again. Love you all! 


	22. Almost, and The Boys Squirm

05/17/04  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. But, the few OC characters are MINE!  
  
A/N: ah, another day, another chapter. Well, I'm back and i'm better than ever, baby! not really, but whatever! London was GORGEOUS!!!!!! i checked my reviews while I was gone and you guys ROCK!!!!! seriously, you rule!!!! well, no sooner did i get back than i remembered that we were going to have GUESTS! so, soem old friends of ours who live waaaaaay on the other coast are coming over this week. so, you're going to have to make do with this chapter. hopefully you'll like it. so, read on!!!!  
  
Twenty Two  
  
Almost, and The Boys Squirm  
  
As Hermione walked away from Draco, she felt awful. She knew he had betrayed her trust and love horribly, but she still loved him.  
  
True, Ewan was fun, carefree and incredibly handsome and Mr. Darcy-ish, but did she want a Mr. Darcy? Maybe what she needed was a Wickham, like Draco.  
  
She shook her head, and glanced back behind her.  
  
Draco was standing there, head down. He looked up, feeling her gaze. He smiled, and walked after her.  
  
True, Draco had broken Hermione's heart, but he wasn't completely to blame. Hermione had to take some of the fault, too.  
  
What kind of girl leaves a party with a guy who isn't her boyfriend? Usually a tramp, trollop, slut, whatever you want to call her, that's usually what she is.  
  
Calling on Draco's upbringing, you can't really make him become an unsuspecting innocent creature overnight thanks to Hermione's influence alone, can you?  
  
And, adding in the fact that he was yet a bit insecure in his relationship, since it was the first one revolving around trust and love instead of a more physical aspect for him, having Hermione leave a party known for it's, shall we say, rambunctious behaviors, was not exactly the most reassuring of things.  
  
So, when he saw Hermione looking back at him, he took a chance. A leap of faith, you might call it.  
  
Dumbledore sat back in his chair and sighed. The ball was in two days and he had yet to find a costume.  
  
Then an idea struck him, and he pulled out a quill and some parchment and hurridly wrote to Madame Malkin, telling her what he wanted. She wouldn't have to measure anything, as they kept his measurements on record, just incase he came up wiht a new and outlandish idea as this one was.  
  
He knew that the outfit would be incredibly against the theme, but, then, he was Headmaster of Hogwarts! He could do as he pleased!  
  
And so, he sealed the letter and handed it off to his owl, Maurice, to deliver.  
  
"Are you crying?" asked Draco.  
  
"No," sniffed Hermione. "Go away." And she ran.  
  
"Wait!" yelled Draco. "Just....wait."  
  
But she kept running.  
  
Hermione kept on running, till she reached Gryffindor tower.  
  
She panted out the password ("Mutton stew!") and climbed through the portrait hole.  
  
Falling heels over head, she entered the bright red room.  
  
"Oof," was what she uttered as a greeting to Lavender and Parvati, who were on a couch, arguing about swatches.  
  
"Hey there. Which one do you like better?" said Lavender, holding up a swatch of purple crushed velvet and one of lavender silk with silver embroidery of stars on it.  
  
"Both."  
  
Daggers were shot at her then. "What do you mean, 'both'?" cried Lavender and Parvati in unison.  
  
"Well," said Hermione, "If I was going to use them, I wouldn't use tboth of them for a dress. The lavender one would be better as a dress, and the crushed velvet is perfect for a dress cloak."  
  
"Hmmmm...." murmured Parvati. "I hadn't thought of that."  
  
"Me neither," said Lavender.  
  
"Thanks, Hermione!" they chorused again.  
  
Draco glumly walked towards his room, kicking at small objects in the corridor.  
  
"Urgh," he muttered. "Why me?"  
  
He went instead to Ron and Padma's rooms, where the guys had scheduled a meeting.  
  
Like Hermione, he fell throguh the portrait hole.  
  
"Watch the first step," said Ron, glumly, "it's a doozy."  
  
Draco stood up, brushing the dirt off of his clothes. "What's the matter with you lot? Just heard your girl wants another?"  
  
"No...." sighed the guys, who were all lounging around on couches, moping.  
  
"What then?" asked Draco.  
  
"We aren't sure that our girlfriends are going to ask us to the Sadie Hawkins," moped Harry, from a seat by te window. He was painting (very badly) a portrait of what seemed to be Ginny. "Ah.....Would you look at her? Perfection. Right from her gorgeous mouth down to her-"  
  
"Hold it, Potter!" yelled Ron. "You may be my best mate, but she's my little sister! keep your comparisons to yourself, thank you very much!"  
  
Harry just sighed and looked at his painting. "Ahhhhh..."  
  
Jon Hopkins was sitting by the fire, whittling.  
  
Draco went over and looked at it. It looked decidedly familiar. "Erm, mate. What's that?"  
  
"This," sait Jon, motioning with his knife, "is what Susan say I think with. So, I'm carving a replica and burning it in effigy."  
  
All the guys near him crossed their legs. "Well, keep you effigy away from me, mate!" yelled Seamus Finnegin, from across the room.  
  
"Uh, why would you be doing that?" asked Draco, backing away slightly.  
  
"Oh, just gives me something to do," said Jon, adding detail. "Bored, you know."  
  
"Ah," said Draco dazed. He made his way to a empty couch and sat in the silence that covered the room.  
  
But, that silence wasn't for long.  
  
Ewan McAlpin burst into the room, flushing and grinning. "Guess what!" he yelled.  
  
"What?" asked the guys, in unison and in a horribly down sort of way.  
  
But, Ewan ignored this. "I just got asked to the dance!" he yelled excitedly.  
  
"Woohoo!" went Dean Thomas, sarcastically, waving a Gryffindor flag in the air.  
  
Ewan ignored this, too. "And guess by who!" Silence. "Well, I'll tell you then. Hermione Granger!"  
  
"Aw, shaddaup!" yelled the guys. The loudest were the Gryffindors. They had discovered that Draco wasn't nearly as bad as some two-bit stuck-up Ravenclaw. Who was incredibly annoying. They only tolerated Ewan because of Jon.  
  
"Well, I thought you'd be happy for me," said Ewan in a hurt sort of voice. "So, Jon, mate, whatcha carving?"  
  
"Well, you see, Susan-" began Jon, only to be cut off.  
  
"We don't want to hear that again," cried Neville. He sat up, and lobbed a potato at Jon. Apparently when Neville got nervous, Neville made mashed potatos with lots of whipping cream and butter and cream cheese and just a hint of garlic.  
  
"Oi! Neville! Can you pass another bowl over here? Those potatos are great!" yelled Justin Finch-Fletcley.  
  
"What d'you need potatos for, Justin? You haven't got a girlfriend!" yelled Dean Thomas, five couches and a chintz armchair away.  
  
"That's what you think," said Justin smugly, licking a mashed potato spoon. He smiled to himself, growing incresingly smug.  
  
"Well?" said Ernie, four chintz armchairs a table and two couches away. "Who's it then?"  
  
"Lavender Brown."  
  
Laughter spread across the room. "Oh, man," spurted Dean, "you really got us! Lavender Brown! Hahahah!"  
  
"No, really, she's my girlfriend!" protested Justin. More laughter.  
  
Suddenly, there was a tap, tap, taping noise by the portrait.  
  
"JUSTIN!" yelled a voice that made the Gryffindors tremble in fear. "COME OUT HERE!"  
  
Lavender Brown was most known for being a gossip amongst the girls. But, amongst the guys, she was a incredibly strict and compeling girlfriend. IF Lavender said you were going to pick her up at seven, that meant 6:45. You did not go against Lavender. Because everyone had done something at Hogwarts that they didn't want everyone to know. And lavender was notorious for finding that thing out when you went against her, and telling everyone.  
  
"Yes, dear?" said Justin, running towards the portrait. Normally the guys would have made whip sounds, but none of them wanted anything more than embaressing or worse to myteriously make it's way back to their girlfriends. So, there was silence. And, consequently, they heard every word Lavender said.  
  
"So, Justin," she said, her voice somehow sounded different than it did with all her other boyfriends. Softer, more loving. "Would you, erm, like to go the the ball with me? I mean, you don't have to, but if you'd like...."  
  
"Of course!" said Justin. "Who else'd I go with?"  
  
And then, a big SMOOTCH-ing sound.  
  
Justin wobbled back to his seat. He was presented with a big bowl of potatos, and a grim smile.  
  
"Here," said Neville. "Take the lot. You've got more to worry about than all the rest of us combined." And he walked back to his table o' potatos.  
  
The sight that greeted Lavender when she reached Pansy's room would have shocked, horrified, disgusted, and turned on all the boys.  
  
All of their girlfriends and possible girlfriends were there, in pajamas, and writing on a large chart.  
  
"Justin is secure!" crowed Lavender.  
  
The other girls giggled.  
  
Hermione, who had found Ewan out on the grounds, had gotten lost on her way back so she only now got back to her fellow conspiritors.  
  
"Ewan is mine!' she said, smiling widely.  
  
More giggling.  
  
Neville had ended his mashed potato phase of stressfull cooking, as the House-Elves annouched that there were no more potatos left in the kitchens.  
  
So, he had moved on to Souffles. Currently, he was making a chocolate souffle, and glared at anyone who made a noise.  
  
The guys said many meaningless things, but it was Draco who mentioned the one thing they were all thinking of. "I wonder what the girls are doing?"  
  
A/N: ok, so Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham are characters from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejeduce. it's really good. read it. or watch the BBC and AMC prdution fo ti with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. so, did you enjoy that chapter? i hope so.  
  
i've really no idea what to put in teh next chapter, so i'm going to need some time to think, k?  
  
and, do you think we could break three hundred with this chapter? please? thanks, I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!  
  
slytherinrules85 


	23. Souffles, Dresses, AndOld Feelings?

05/19/04  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own it!!!!!!!  
  
A/N: OK, hopefully, this will appease you! Most likely the next-to-last chappie, too! oh, i know, and i'm sorry! this has been great for me, too! my first really good almost finished story! this is pretty funny, just filler mostly, though. though the ending of this chapter is pretty good if i do say so myself. pats self on back so, maybe this or next week i'll get the last (maybe, i don't know) chapter in. but! only if you break three hundred! read on!!!!!!  
  
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Twenty Three  
  
But they really didn't want to know.  
  
The girls had made a chart. It had their names down one side, and guys name's across the top. Little check marks were made where the girl had been accepted by a guys to the dance.  
  
So far, Lavender&Justin, Hermione&Ewan, Susan&(maybe)Jon, Pansy&Ernie, and, get this, Neville&Parvati!  
  
"I can't believe," giggled Lavender, "that you asked Neville Longbottom!"  
  
Parvati blushed. Apparently, after the Fourth-Year fiasco with Harry, she'd developed a crush on Neville. And so, the serial dating had been a way to catch his attention.  
  
But, after three years, she finally had taken Hermione's advice about him.  
  
Flashback to the Previous Day  
  
"Um, hey Neville," said Parvati. They'd had to stay behind in Potions to clean something up.  
  
"Yeah," said Neville, not turning around.  
  
"Could you come here a minute?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
He got to where he was a foot away from her, and she grabbed the front of his cloak, pulled him close, and kissed the living daylights out of him.  
  
"Oh, my," he said, and leaned against the table next to them. "Oh. My."  
  
"So, Neville," asked Parvati, whistling, "D'you want to go to the dance with me?"  
  
"Sure," said a dazed and confused Neville, wiping the table absently.  
  
End Flashback  
  
"Well, I'm not sure if I'll be able to handle Neville," said Parvati, totally serious.  
  
Lavender and Hermione gaped at her.  
  
"I'm serious! I think Neville might be too much of a man for me!" protested Parvati.  
  
Hermione snorted. "Parvati, my love, the day that Neville becomes too much of a man for you is the day that You-Know-Who and I have a commitment ceremony."  
  
Lavender giggled. "Hermione's right, dear. I think you're too much of a woman for Neville, if you know what I mean."  
  
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Life in Ernie's rooms went back to normal. Why? Because Neville's soufflé was done!  
  
He'd served it with ice cream and powdered sugar, a thin slice of strawberry and a sprig of peppermint for garnish. The guys were eating it with gusto.  
  
"Oh, man, Neville," said Ron, "this is delicious! You're the dom biggety!"  
  
"That 'bomb diggety,' Ron," corrected Harry. "But you are Neville!"  
  
"You should have been the one to plan the food for the ball, Neville!" shouted Ernie.  
  
"Well," said Neville, blushing a bit, "thanks. This was my first soufflé that didn't fall. Maybe I did something different...."  
  
Then, suddenly, there was a bang! on the door.  
  
"All right, open up," said the unmistakable voice of.....Severus Snape!  
  
Draco went to the portrait hole, crawled through, and pushed it open, quickly retreating as someone came in behind him.  
  
"Who's been cooking?" asked Snape. "Because whoever it is, is going to get a chance at AP-Potions." He looked around. "Who?" he said in his most menacing tone.  
  
Neville raised his hand, and gulped. "Me, sir. It's me."  
  
"You?!" sputtered Snape. "This cannot be true. Cooking, as most people know, is closely akin to Potions, and you, as everyone knows, cannot make a potion of your life depended on it. So, who is it really?"  
  
"It's Neville, sir," said Draco. "He really can cook. The House-Elves were only just here to take away about a ton of mashed potatoes-"  
  
"We would have eaten them," yelled Dean Thomas, "but they wouldn't let us. So, Neville moved on to soufflés."  
  
At this suprising news, Snape fainted dead away. Normally, his sweeping robes would cover his shoes, but the fainting uncovered them. He must've forgotten, in all the wondermus smells, to put his shoes back on. Because he was wearing ducky slippers.  
  
The boys giggled.  
  
"Ducky slippers?" asked Seamus Finnegin.  
  
"Let's drag him off," suggested Draco. "When he wakes up, he'll just go back to his rooms, and won't come back."  
  
"Ok," responded Seamus.  
  
And the dragged Snape out of Ernie's rooms and out into a corridor that was two staircases, three corridors, and a classroom away.  
  
Then they ran back to Ernie's rooms at top speed.  
  
"Well," said Draco, dusting his hands off, "if he wakes up and remembers what happened, we should get out of Dodge now, or we're dead meat."  
  
Seamus slapped his forehead. "Ugh. Why is it you always forget when you need it? We're wizards! We could've done a short-term memory charm on him. He wouldn't be the wiser, and we wouldn't have to move to Saudi Arabia, or somewhere like that."  
  
"Are they that bad in Saudi Arabia?" asked Harry.  
  
Ron grimaced. "If the government finds out what you are, they chop your head off in public."  
  
Harry blanched. "So, moving on. Neville, have you got a date for the dance?"  
  
Neville reddened, and cleared his throat loudly. "So, Ron, how 'bout those Cannons?"  
  
"No," said Ron, grinning, "no weaseling out of this, Neville. Who is it? Eloise Midgen? Or some other nondescript Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw?"  
  
"ParvatiPatil," said Neville so fast, it came out as "paverpail."  
  
"Paverpail?" asked Jon, finishing his carving. "Who's that?"  
  
Neville turned even redder, if that was possible. "Parvati Patil," he said, loudly. "She asked me yesterday after Potions. I, erm, said yes. She can be very, erm, forceful."  
  
"No bleedin' way," breathed Dean Thomas. "She'd.... Whoa...."  
  
"Yeah, I know," said Neville. "Apparently she really liked me, or something. I dunno why, though."  
  
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"So, Parvati, where're your robes?" asked Lavender, fingering the soft, white crushed velvet dress she was going to wear to the ball.  
  
"I'll get them," said Parvati, grinning. She went over to a dress bag, and pulled out a pair of plum satin robes.  
  
"Whoa," said Hermione. "If you don't make Neville into pudding, my name's Rita Skeeter."  
  
Parvati grinned. "You should see Padma's. They look almost the same, but her's are emerald green to match," here she put on a high, squeaky voice, "Ronniekin's hair. I mean, I love maroon, but it makes dear Ronnie look awful!"  
  
"I do not sound like that," said an amused Padma Patil, leaning in the doorway.  
  
"Yes you do!" yelled Hermione, Lavender, and Parvati.  
  
"Ok," admitted Padma, "maybe a little." She came and sat on a pillow. "So, whatcha doin'?"  
  
"Just showing our dress robes off," said Lavender. "Though I don't know how Hermione could go with Ewan, since their robes won't match at all...."  
  
Padma's eyebrow went up. "And why would that be?"  
  
Hermione sighed. "Because I bought my robes with Draco, and they were supposed to match, but Ewan has black robes, so we'll probably match. Maybe."  
  
"So, Padma," asked Parvati, eyes twinkling, "didja hear who Draco's going with?"  
  
Padma smiled smugly. "Actually, I did," she said, not uttering another word.  
  
"Spill," said Lavender, eyes alight.  
  
"C'mon, spill," reiterated Pavarti.  
  
"Ok," said Padma, dramatic. She leaned in close. "I hear from Ron who got it from, well, Draco, that Draco's going with that slut Blaise Zambini." She paused, for drama. "You know, his ex-girlfriend! The one he broke up with when he got to know you, Hermione," said Padma, smiling.  
  
"What, me?" asked Hermione. "I didn't know he'd broken up with her...for me. I heard he'd already broken up with her before then."  
  
"Well," said Parvati, "they had. But, he got back together with her for a bit until you showed interest in him. I hear that he went back to her when you turned him down the other day. And she welcomed him back. With arms wide open."  
  
"Stop, stop, stop!" said Hermione, putting her hands over her ears. "I don't want to hear it!"  
  
Lavender, Parvati, and Padma smiled at each other.  
  
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A/N: well, how'd you like it? you think old feelings are awoken in Hermione? or not? but, the big question is: should she end up with Draco? tell me in you reviews.  
  
Love to you all,  
  
slytherinrules85 


	24. The Halloween Ball

05/26/04  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own it! How many times do I have to tell you!!!!  
  
A/N: Well, here it is. The last chapter. Of course, I'm going to write an epilogue, but this is the last chapter, chapter. sobs I'm going to try to work on some other stories, but Tutoring A Dragon will always be my baby. I'm very sad to end it, as I wish it could just go on forever, but I want to be able to write some more stuff. So, read, and review!!!!!  
  
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Twenty Four  
  
Friday, the Day of The Ball  
  
Thursday had gone by so quickly, it was almost like it had just ran. The girls camped out in Padma and Ron's rooms, all turning in early to get their beauty sleep.  
  
The boys, however, were confined to Ernie's and Pansy's rooms. They had paced all that morning, only to be jumped upon and asked to the dance when they ventured out of the rooms. Then they settled into a much more relaxed state, and remarked on how they hadn't been nervous! No way! They were macho, tough guys, not concerned if their girlfriends had asked someone else or not.  
  
But, deep down, they knew that they'd all been piles of jello at heart.  
  
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Hermione woke with a yawn.  
  
"Good morning, ladies!" she yelled. All the girls woke with a start, started to complain, then realised it was The Day. "Ten-hut!"  
  
All the girls (excepting Hermione, Lavender, Parvati, and Padma) fell into line. Hermione got out a hairbrush, and slapped into her hand threateningly. "Today is The Day, girls. The Day of the Big One. You know what I'm talking about. The Day of the Halloween Ball. Now, it's," Hermione looked at her watch, "seven thirty. You slept half an hour late. We only have twelve and a half hours to get ready. And we have makeup and hair to experiment with. Not to mention showering about a gajillion times. NOW MARCH YOUR BUTTS UPSTAIRS AND TAKE SHOWERS!!! ON THE DOUBLE. AND DON'T PUSH!!!!"  
  
Hermione grinned at Lavender, Padma, and Parvati.  
  
"Whoa, remind me never to cross you," said Lavender. "I'm going back to the Tower to take a quick shower, I'll be back in half and hour. Ciao, babes!!" And, with that, she floated out in her lavender silk robe and pink flannel pajamas.  
  
"She is really good at exits, isn't she?" said Hermione absently to the other two.  
  
"Yeah," replied Parvati, skimming through a magazine, ripping out pages when she saw something.  
  
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Meanwhile, in the guy's room.....  
  
"Unnnn-huuuu," snored Ron.  
  
"Merblewitz," said Harry, rolling over on a couch.  
  
"Marry me, 'Mione," murmured Draco, totally asleep.  
  
"WHAT!!!!" yelled Ewan. This was met with many angry shouts.  
  
Draco sat up, still half asleep. "Ewan, mate, have you ever heard the proverb, 'do not bless your neighbor too early in the morning, lest he should think it was a curse'? Well, if you haven't, let me explain." In his current stage of not-yet-awake-syndrome, his tactfulness and sneakiness and everything that made him not rip Ewan head off normally wasn't there yet. That required a pot of coffee. "Since," he said, waving his hadns to illustrate, "you so obviously think that you talking to anyone is akin to blessing them, you have the need to talk when, let's face it, no one wants to hear it!  
  
"So, you talk early in the morning when WE'RE STILL SLEEPING! And, I'm talking that as a curse! So, hear's a silencing spell." He waved his wand, which he'd pulled out whilst talking, and muttered a silencing spell at Ewan. "This'll wear off when I wake up. Nighty night." Draco plopped back down on his couch, rolled over, and fell back into a very deep sleep.  
  
"Whoa," said Dean Thomas, eyes wide in the shock of Draco smarting off Ewan. "Go, Draco!" And he promptly fell back asleep.  
  
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"So, girls," said Hermione to Lavender (who had come back), Padma, and Parvati. "D'you think I messed up wiht Draco?"  
  
They glanced at each other. "Ohhhhh noooooo! No, no, no, no!" they replied.  
  
Hermione glared at them. "Honest answer, please."  
  
"Yes," said Lavender.  
  
"Yes," said Parvati.  
  
"Hoobaby, yeah!" said Padma.  
  
"Oh," said Hermione faintly.  
  
"Yeah. Well," said Padma. "We all make mistakes. You just made a catastrophic one, that's all. We all do that. Sometimes."  
  
"Yeah...We all do..." said Hermione softly. "I think I'm going to go back to my rooms to get ready, no offense."  
  
"Ah, none taken," said Lavender. "In fact, take this bottle."  
  
Hermione's eyes narrowed. "What's in it?"  
  
"Sobering potion. Order some Firewhiskey from the House-Elves. You need some. Be sure to take this after drinking the whiskey," said Lavender cheerfully.  
  
"See you tonight!" they called after Hermione as she left.  
  
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Noon rolled around and the boys woke with a yawn and summoned House-Elves.  
  
Binky, Clinky, Minkey, and Ducky were the ones who answered.  
  
"Ok, then," said Draco, slapping his hands together. "I'll have two eggs over hard. Break the yolks and have them be really, really, really hard. Also, I'll tkae four slices of bacon, two pieces of toast with creamy peanut butter and two with strawberry jam. Also, I'll take a medium pitcher of both orange juice and one of milk. Now, is anyone else hungry?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll take a crack at this thing you call 'eating', Draco, mate," reeplied Ron. "I'll have scrambled eggs. Now, I don't want them mixed with milk. I want them mixed with Evian. I can't stand milk-mixed scrambled eggs. And five pieces of blackberry jam covered toast. Also, I'll take five pieces of bacon and a large pitcher of milk."  
  
Harry, Jon, Neville, Dean, Seamus, and Ewan all had two pices of toast, two biscuts, three pieces of bacon and a medium pitcher of milk each.  
  
"Urrrrrrrrp!" burped Ron. "I tell you what I am going to miss Hogwarts with the passion of ten thousand burning suns."  
  
The guys blinked at him.  
  
Ron shrugged defensively. "Hey! It's what I tell Padma!"  
  
"You tell Padma that you'll 'miss her with the passions of a thousand burning suns'?" said Ewan, covering a parital snicker.  
  
"Look, you jumped-up-no-good-two-bit-snooty--sorry bout this Jon, mate-- Ravenclaw! You know what you can do with your mouth? You can kiss my-"  
  
"Whoa, Ron," said Harry, clapping a hand over Ron's mouth. "Ow!" He looked around, cradling his hand. "He bit me!"  
  
"You're no good!" cried Ron. "I know that, Harry knows that, hell, we all know that!"  
  
"Ron-" started Draco.  
  
"No, mate, I've got to say this," snarled Ron, advancing on Ewan. "Ever since you got in between Hermione and Draco, here, you've been a burr in our behinds. All the Grtffindors feel this way, don't we mates?" All the Gryffindors nodded, arms crossed. "But, we thought you might grow out of that cocky, irrepressible, arsehole behavior. But noooooo! You have to be in poor Draco's face about all this Hermione business! Can't you give a gent a rest?"  
  
"Look, Hermione was the one who asked me," said Ewan. "I didn't mean to get in between them, honestly-"  
  
"Oh, cut it out, Ewan!" yelled Jon. "I know that you were trying to pry Hermione away from Draco on purpose. You've been a complete ass, and I for one am ashamed of you."  
  
"What? Not you, too, Jon, mate!" said Ewan.  
  
"Yeah, well, just 'cause my da's dating your mum doesn't mean I have to protect your little-" Jon cut off, fuming. "What I mean is that I don't have to look out for you just 'cause da told me to. He's told me about a zillioon of other things that I didn't listen to, but this I'm not going to listen to anymore. Especially since your mum is a money-grubbing witch!"  
  
Ewan gasped.  
  
Ernie seised this chance. "Now, get out, McAlpin!"  
  
"Fine," said Ewan. "I'll leave. But I'll have the last laugh!"  
  
Ernie slammed the portrait in his face, cutting off whatever he was going to say after that. "Yeah, yeah, yeah," he said, going back to his brunch. "We don't care."  
  
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Six PM, Hermione's Room, Two Hours Before the Ball  
  
Hermione sighed as she sat on her bed, looking at her dress robes.  
  
She glanced at the bottle Lavender had given her and momentarilly thought of getting wasted. She shook her head, dissmissing the idea.  
  
She picked up the bottle, and walked outside to her balcony. Tapping the bottom of the bottle on the handrail, she looked out over the landscape before chucking the bottle at a tree. She heard the satisfying tinkle of broken glass as she turned to head back into her room.  
  
"Why did I do such a stupid thing?" she muttered. "Why?"  
  
She was talking, of course, about her breakup with Draco. She shouldn't have left the party with Ewan. She knew that now. But she couldn't go back in time to change that, could she?  
  
She heard a knocking sound on the portrait downstairs. Before she could get to the door, their was a hissing sound from her fireplace.  
  
"Pssst! Hermione!" said Ron's voice. She turned, and saw his head sticking out of the fire.  
  
"What is it Ron?" she said, coming over to sit on her chair.  
  
"You've got to know something, 'Mione. That knocking's probably Ewan!"  
  
"I'd already thought that, Ron," said Hermione. "Get to the point."  
  
"Well," said Ron, resting his elbows on the stone floor. "He tried to break you and Draco up. Wasn't just some coincedence, dearie. Did it on purpose. Don't let him bamboozle you into his pants, 'Mione, you're smarter than that!"  
  
"HE WHAT!?" she yelled, fire in her eyes. "Well, then. I'll see you tonight, Ron, dear. Give my regards to dear Harry, too."  
  
As she walked towards teh door, she heard a pop, signaling that Ron had left. She walked sedately down the stairs, and out into the common room.  
  
Swinging by the fireplace, she picked up the poker. Then she went the portrait hole, which was more like a portrait passage, and opened the door.  
  
"Ewan." Hermione looked at him coldly. "I've just heard from Ron." Ewan started to sweat. "And he said the most interesting thing about you. Now, I'm going to give you one chance to explain yourself and if you do it wrong, I'm going to bash your brains out. Go."  
  
"Well, I," he started, pulling on his collar. "I really like you, and-"  
  
"Wrong answer," said Hermione, swinging the poker like a baseball bat. "I'd run."  
  
And that's what he did. Ewan, I mean. He ran.  
  
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Six Forty-Five, One hour and Fifteen Minutes Before the Ball  
  
"Fooooooorrrrr he's a jolly good fellow! Fooooooooooooooooorrrr he's a jolly good fellow! Foooooooooorrrr he's a jolly good fellow, and nobody can denyyyyyy!!!!" sang all the guys, arms around their neighbour's shoulder, moving like tehy were dance the Horra.  
  
"TOLD YOU I WASN'T PARANOID FOR NOTHING!" yelled Draco over the singing. "I TOLD YOU, BUT DID YOU LISTEN? NO!!"  
  
"WE APOLOGIZED, YOU GREAT PRAT!" yelled the other guys. "GET OVER IT!"  
  
And they went on singing.  
  
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Seven thirty, Half an Hour Before the Ball  
  
It was half an hour before the ball in the Castle Hogwarts, and not a female was stirring, not even a first year.  
  
All the elegible girls who were going to the ball were literally barricaded inside their dormatories, giggling and doing each other's hair.  
  
Hermione, was sneaking back to Ron and Padma's rooms, as she had disovered that getting ready for a ball was not nearly as fun as it is when someone helps you.  
  
She was glancing behind her, when she ran into someone. It was Draco.  
  
"Oh, hey Draco," she said, blushing. "What're you doing?"  
  
He shrugged, but peered closer at her, noticing the blush. 'She hasn't blushed at me since before we broke up. Does she?..' he thought. Out loud, "Oh, nothing. Just heading back to get my robes. I see you've already been at ou-um, the rooms. Getting your robes?"  
  
Hermione shrugged back, blushing a bit harder. "No. I was going to get ready there, but decided it'd be a bit lonely doing it there. You going back to Ernie's rooms after this?"  
  
Draco nodded. "Yeah, we're going to get our dates together."  
  
"Oh," said Hermione. "So, are you going to go all the way down to the dungeons, or are you meeting her in the Great Hall?"  
  
"What?" said Draco, confused. "Meet who?"  
  
"Your date."  
  
"I don't have a date."  
  
"Oh, I heard....otherwise."  
  
"Really," said Draco, intrigued. "And who was this mystery woman?"  
  
"I'd heard," said Hermione, "that you were going with Blaise Zambini."  
  
"That two-timing slut? I think not."  
  
Hermione glanced down at her watch. "Ohmigosh! I've only got fifteen minutes! I've got to go, Draco!" She ran off, calling over her shoulder, "See you at the ball, Draco!"  
  
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Seven Forty-Five, Fifteen Minutes Before the Ball  
  
Hermione stumbled through the portrait hole and fell out of it, right on her butt.  
  
"There you are," said Lavender, cheerfully. "Didja use the potion?"  
  
"Of course not, Lav," said Hermione. "Alchoholis nnot the proper way to solve your problems. And it's a bad habit. I'm here to get ready."  
  
"Well of course you are," said Lavender, primly. "I knew you'd be back. You've taken a shower, of course?"  
  
Hermione sniffed imperiously. "What do you take me for Lavender? A savage? I've taken eight showers!"  
  
"Good!" cried Lavender, clapping her hands together. "Now, let's get ready!"  
  
And they did.  
  
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Seven Fifty, Ten Minutes Before the Ball  
  
The guys walked down the corridors seperating Ernie and Pansy's rooms and Rona dn Padma's.  
  
They were all crisply dressed in their dress robes.  
  
Ron was wearing some robes that the twins bought for him. They were a very lovely green, that blended very well with his hair.  
  
Harry was wearing a pair of black dress robes that matched Ginny's white ones expertly.  
  
And Draco was hanging at the edge of the crowd, wearing his blue ones that matched Hermione's.  
  
They arrived at the portrait, and all the girls came out. Draco noticed one girls' distinct absence.  
  
"Where's Hermione?" he asked Lavender quietly.  
  
"Oh, she went on ahead a few minutes ago," she said, smiling at his expression. "She said she'd meet us there. Plus, she had to work on a few things, last-minute tweaking, you know."  
  
"Oh," said Draco. He moved away to the back of the crowd of lovebirds, deep in thought.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
At the Ball  
  
Hermione walked around the Great Hall, touching up a few things. She bustled over to the music table and tapped a few keys.  
  
"Oh, come on!" she said, irritated.  
  
"A problem, Ms. Granger?" asked the soft voice of Albus Dumbledore.  
  
"Oh, hello professor," said Hermione, blushing at her outburst. "What brings you here?"  
  
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Oh, I heard a student in need and came to see what was the matter. So, Ms. Granger, what is the problem?"  
  
"I can't get the MagicDiscJockey to play this song, professor. D'you know how to work this thing?"  
  
Dumbledore's forhead wrinkled. "Hmmmm.....Maybe you push this button here," he suggested.  
  
Music blasted out of the speakers.  
  
"Thank you, professor," said Hermione, happily. "And, if I may sir, that is a, um, strange costume."  
  
Dumbledore beamed. "I know. But, you must always have someone be the odd man out, and poor Severus needs a break. But, I'll be going out to the table now. I will see you later, Ms. Granger." And he turned, his, erm, fluffy white cottontail wiggling.  
  
Hermione watched him go and stifled a snicker. "Oh, dear," she said to herself, glancing down at the keyboard. "Now, just think of this as a Muggle computer. Here's the keyboard, and the moniter, and there's the modem. Or whatever it's called." She fiddled around with it for a moment, and then, "Ah! That's how you work the bloody thing!" She glanced down at her watch and sighed. "Well, time to go to dinner," she said, adn picked up her skirts and walked out of a side door to the terrace.  
  
Hermione looked at all the happy couples, being led to their seats by some very lucky third years. Looking to her right, she saw Ewan approaching her.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
Draco walked onto the terrace, and saw Ewan walking towards Hermione. Acting quickly, he went over and grabbed Ewan's arm, pinning him to the Castle wall.  
  
"If you so much as look in Hermione's direction," Draco growled to a scared Ewan, "I will break your face. And then you'll have them to worry about." Draco motioned towards Ron and Harry, who were glaring at Ewan, rubbing their hands together. "I'm only going to tell you once." Draco loosened his grip, and glared at Ewan, before walking off.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
Dinner was unpleasent for both Draco and Hermione, as they were seated by themselves, on opposite ends of the teachers' table.  
  
Hermione, at least, was able to leave early, as she was in charge of the music.  
  
She fiddled with the MDJ for a moment, kicked the modem-thingy, and cursed at it.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
"Ms. Granger," called Professor McGonagall. "Ms. Granger, I do belive it is time for the students to come in."  
  
"Oh, yes, of course, professor," said Hermione. "I've just figured out this bloody thing, thank God."  
  
"Good, good," said McGonagall, exiting.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
Draco entered the Great Hall, and stared at the sights around him.  
  
The gorgeous silk ceiling-cover was absolutely spectacular.  
  
All the other decorations were lovely, and fit perfectly with the mood.  
  
A song came on, and he listened to it with curiosity.  
  
To every broken heart in here  
  
Love was once a part, but now it's disappeared  
  
She told me that it's all part of the choices that your make  
  
Even when you think you're right  
  
You have to give to take  
  
He smiled, the lyrics feeling familiar.  
  
But there's still tomorrow  
  
Forget the sorrow  
  
And I can be on the last train home  
  
Watch it pass the day  
  
As it fades away  
  
No more time to care  
  
No more time, today  
  
The crowd that had gone in while he had just stood in the entrance parted. On the other side of the room, Hermione stood, smiling at him. She waved,  
and a blush bloomed over her cheeks.  
  
But we sing  
  
If we're going nowhere  
  
Yeah we sing  
  
If it's not enough  
  
And we sing  
  
Sing without a reason  
  
To ever fall in love  
  
I wonder if you're listening  
  
Picking up on the signals  
  
Sent back from within  
  
Sometimes it feels like I don't really know whats going on  
  
Time and time again it seems like everything is wrong in here  
  
He laughed at the verse, and smiled back at Hermione.  
  
But there's still tomorrow  
  
Forget the sorrow  
  
And I can be on the last train home  
  
Watch it pass the day  
  
As it fades away  
  
No more time to care  
  
No more time, today  
  
He started to cross the room.  
  
But we sing  
  
If we're going nowhere  
  
Yeah we sing  
  
If it's not enough  
  
And we sing  
  
Sing without a reason  
  
To ever fall in love  
  
Well we sing if we're going nowhere  
  
Yeah we sing if it's not enough  
  
And we sing  
  
Sing without a reason to ever fall in love  
  
The crowd started to close again, he pushed his way through.  
  
But we sing  
  
If we're going no where  
  
Yeah we sing  
  
If it's not enough  
  
And we sing  
  
Sing with out a reason to never fall in love  
  
To never fall in love again  
  
He pushed through the last of the crowd and stood before Hermione.  
  
"Well," he said.  
  
"I know," she replied. "I've been an arsehole."  
  
Draco grinned. "We're all one, at least once. Don't worry about it."  
  
"So, does this mean...." Hermione trailed off.  
  
"I guess so," said Draco charmingly. He crossed the two yards that seperated them, and pulled her into his arms. "I love you. I always did, even if I was a bloomin' idiot."  
  
Hermione smiled up at him. "I love you, too. Even if you were a blooming idiot."  
  
Draco looked at her, rasing his eyebrows. Hermione laughed. "I mean, even though I was an arse."  
  
"That's better," murmured Draco, closing the distance between them.  
  
"I know," said Hermione, before she melted into his arms.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
"Well, Ron," said Harry, grinning, "I told you they'd make up before Christmas. Pay up."  
  
Ginny slapped Harry's shoulder. "You bet on they're getting back together? That's horrible, Harry James Potter!"  
  
Harry gave her a amused look. "And you didn't?" Ginny looked away. "Ha! So'd you lose, or win?"  
  
"Actually, I won twenty Galleons from Parvati, I've got to go find her," said Ginny, walking away quickly, a superior look on her face.  
  
"Well, Ron?" said Harry, looking over to Ron, who was digging in his pockets. "You owe me fifteen Galleons. Pay up."  
  
"Is it okay if I pay you later?" asked Ron. "I left my money from the bet a few days ago in my bag in Ernie's room.  
  
"Fine then," said Harry. "But you're not getting out of paying me. Not by a long shot."  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
Draco and Hermione were sitting on a couch, gaznig into each other's eyes, when they heard a most unwelcome voice.  
  
"Hermione? Can I explain? Please?" said Ewan.  
  
Draco turned to the Ravenclaw. "Now, you Raveclaw," he said, glaring. "I told you to keep away from Hermione, didn't I?" Ewan nodded, speachless. "And now, I'm going to have to break your face."  
  
"Oh, Draco," said Harry, from behind Ewan. Ewan jumped. "Why do you have to have all the fun? It's just not fair."  
  
"I want to beat up the wanker Ravenclaw, too," whined Ron, from the other side of Ewan. The Ravenclaw started to shiver.  
  
Draco held his hand up. "Now, now. Let's give him another chance, shall we? You," he said, pointing to Ewan, "will stay away from Hermione as originally planned, and we won't break your lovely nose, all right? If you don't, then," Draco cracked his knuckles, "we get to have our way with things."  
  
Ewan fled.  
  
Hermione leaned over and kissed Draco right beneath his ear. "Good job, m'dear." She grinned, and stood up. "Let's dance."  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
As Draco and Hermione whirled around the dance floor for a fifteenth time, Dumbledore, in his pink bunny costume, called a halt.  
  
"I know that I told you that we would be announcing the new Head Boy and Girl next week, but I just couldn't wait," Dumbledore beamed. "May I present you with your new Heads! Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger!"  
  
"Whoa," said Draco and Hermione together.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
The ball ended, and Draco and Hermione had gone back to their rooms, tired.  
  
They stood at the bottom to Hermione's staricase, kissing. Before Hermione went up the stairs, Draco grinned at her.  
  
"Come with me," he said. He raced up the staricase to her room, dragging her behind him. He pulled her onto the balcony, and yelled to the whole world, "I LOVE HERMIONE GRANGER!!!!!" Hermione grinned at this display of love. A tear slipped down her cheek at she yelled, "AND I LOVE DRACO MALFOY!!!"  
  
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A/N: Well. That's it. I'm going to write the epilogue and then that's it. tears run down cheeks I would love to thank all of my reviewers by name, but there are SO MANY OF YOU!!!!! SO THANK YOU IF YOU REVIEWED!!!!!!!! If you didn't reivew, thank you also. But, I love you all, I hope you like my story, and PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
love to you all from your (maybe) fav author,  
  
slytherinrules85 


	25. Epilogue

06/21/04  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned it, I'd be writing the sixth book, not the fanfiction, OK?  
  
A/N: Well, here's the epilogue, finally. I don't know why I couldn't write it. But, today I finally buckled down and wrote. And, now, it's finished. Please read on to find more author's notes at the end. [P.S. Fairy Lights, there's something that you wanted to see, specifically in there for you!]  
  
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Twenty Five  
  
Epilogue  
  
After the Halloween Ball, Hermione and Draco moved into Head's quarters. Dumbledore had, most interestingly, changed the traditional quarters from two floors below Professor Trelawney's classroom to the Astronomy Tower.  
  
So, after they'd packed everything, they were extremely dismayed to find that they weren't going anywhere!  
  
Dumbledore had come into the common room, to be met a a great many cardboard boxes ("What are these things?" Draco had asked, never having seen one) and the overworked Hermione and Draco.  
  
"Why, Ms. Granger, I did not know you had already packed," said Dumbledore, his eye twinkling like firecrackers.  
  
"Yes," said Draco, extremely disgruntled. Hermione disdained the idea of "overworking the already poor overworked House-Elves," and had awoken him at five-thirty after her run, and told him to "get up and start packing." He, in turn, had mistaken her for someone else and said something that made her whack him with a pillow.  
  
"So, I suppose," continued Dumbledore, somehow knowing this, "you'll be very dissapointed to hear that I've changed the quarters?"  
  
"What?" cried Hermione. She wiped some sweat off her forehead. "You can't've done that!"  
  
"Well," said Dumbledore, still cheerful, "you'll have to stay in your House dormatories for a week or two, but unfortunately you'll be staying here in this very set of rooms. It will, of course, take sometime for the Castle to move around, but it shall be done."  
  
"But sir, what can you mean by it will 'take sometime for the Castle to move around'?" aske Hermione.  
  
"Just what I said," replied Dumbledore, very vague. And that was that.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
True to form, a week after they'd left their rooms, they were informed that their rooms were ready again.  
  
Making the short (well, not really) trip to the Astronomy Tower from the Gryffindor Common room, Hermione stood outside the portrait of the dragon and the lion, and blinked at it.  
  
It swung open, and Hermione walked through the passage into a lovely meeting room. In the center there was large oaken table with lovely matching chairs.  
  
The ceiling was vaulted, and at it's peak, must've been at least twenty feet high. Around the bottom four feet of the room, there was mahogany paneling with rectangles carved into the paneling. The rest of the walls were painted a very pale gold-ish sort of color.  
  
Also, there were paintings on the wall of all four Founders. Salazar Slytherin was making a horrible face at Godric Gryffindor when Hermione came in. Noticing her House patch, he stuck his tongue out at her, which made Godric Gryffindor yell an extremely rude string of phrases at Salazar.  
  
"Boys! Boys!" yelled Hermione, over the curses. "No arguing! This is to be a meeting room for all four Houses! You'll have to pretend to get along, otherwise meetings will go very ill, indeed." They frowned, but shut up.  
  
"Oi! Hermione!" caled Draco's voice coming from behind a portrait of a red- haired woman writing a letter. "C'mere! You've got to see this!"  
  
Hermione walked over to the portrait. The woman, who had pearls littered through her hair, looked up and put her quill down. "Name?" she asked, imperiously.  
  
"Who're you?" asked Hermione. She liked to know who guarded her rooms.  
  
The woman sniffed. "My name is Elizabeth. Now, what is yours?"  
  
"Hermione Granger." The portrait swung open, revealing the rooms and the changes that had been made.  
  
Since they were Head Boy and Girl, their chambers had to be House-neutrel, so there was a lot of gold and scarlet, green and silver, silver and blue, and yellow and black.  
  
Draco was seated on a green and silver couch, that had embroideries of dragons on it. "I think Dumbledore outdid himslef," he remarked cheerfully.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
At Christmas vacation, Draco reluctantly agreed to go home with Hermione and meet her parents.  
  
Needless to say, after two days of being rather suspicious of their daughter's new boyfriend, the Granger's ended up liking Draco.  
  
They got along splendidly, until something rather unexpected happened.  
  
His mum showed up.  
  
"DRACO XAIVER MALFOY WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!" shouted Narcissa, upon entering the Granger household.  
  
"Visiting Hermione's parents, Mum," he said. He reached into his bag and pulled out a flask. "Here," he said, tossing it to her, "have a sip. You know you need one."  
  
Narcissa drank a few swallows without ceasing to glare at her son. "And what do you think you're doing, visiting your girlfriend's parents without informing you mum?" She glared at him. "Or your father," she said as a afterthought.  
  
Draco held up a finger. "For one thing, you were in New York with Auntie Linda." Another finger went up as he went on. "For another thing, I wouldn't tell Lucius or Orion what I was doing for a million Galleons." A third finger went up. "And for thirds, Hermione's the only one who's been showing me any amount of support lately, if you haven't noticed, Miss-My- Clothes-Are-About-To-Be-Optioned-By-Two-Seventeen-Year-Olds-Thanks-To-My- Son's-Girlfriend!"  
  
"Wait a second," said Narcissa, turning to Hermione. "You have something to do with my clothes being optioned?"  
  
Hermione shrugged. "Pav and Lav are two of my best mates. They were thinking of someone else, but I.....convinced them to take you instead. But, your clothes had better be good sellers, otherwise it's my butt on the line."  
  
After that, the visit went very well.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
During Easter, the Castle was attack by Voldemort.  
  
Hermione would have been unable to be with Ron and Harry on the battlefield, if it hadn't been for Draco.  
  
Dumbledore had told them to make sure the third years and under were in a safe place.  
  
They had orders to stay with their charges until it was all over, but Draco told Hermione to go.  
  
"Look, Hermione," he told her, by the potrait to their meeting room, "you've got to go! Ron and Harry are going to need your support before the end of the battle."  
  
Hermione smiled weakly. "But what if I don't come back?" she asked softly.  
  
Draco grinned. "You're coming back. Mrs. Weasley is out there, and no one would dare kill a Honorary Weasley while she's within hearing. Even Lucius wouldn't. Now, go!" And he pushed Hermione out the door. "I love you," he whispered, as he watched her run to her friends.  
  
While Hermione was helping Harry and Ron, Draco was dealing with his once- father. Somehow, the anti-Apperating ward had been disabled, and Lucius had Apperated right into Draco and Hermione's rooms.  
  
"Well, well, well," said Lucius. "What've we here?"  
  
"You will not hurt them, Lucius," said Draco threatiningly.  
  
"And why not?" asked Lucius, laughing.  
  
"Because I'm going to kill you if you do." Draco pulled out his wand.  
  
Unfortunately, he was too slow. Lucius performed the Crustatious Curse on him.  
  
While Draco writhed on the floor in pain, there was a loud crack by the fireplace.  
  
"Lucius, you never did appreciate what you had going for you," said a softy venemous voice.  
  
Few people knew that other than the Dark Lord, Lucius Malfoy feared but one person: his older brother, Orion. No one knew why Orion posed such a threat to Lucius, but they didn't want to.  
  
"O-Orion," said Lucius, trembling slightly. "What do you want?"  
  
Orion stood. In his outstreached hand was his wand. "What's rightfully mine, brother. Give me back my son." He flicked his wand, and a illusion of Lucius being tortured appeared next to the real one. "Or I'll have to take serious measures," he said, his voice deadly.  
  
"HE HAS TO DIE!" screamed Lucius, his wand point straying from Draco, lifting the curse on the youngest Malfoy. "HE'S ROBBED ME OF WHAT'S RIGHTFULLY MINE!!"  
  
"Oh, do shut up, Dad," said Draco, waving his wand, a silencing spell wafting out of the tip. "No one likes you anyway." He glared at Orion. "Mobilious corpus!" he hissed at Lucius's form. He turned back to Orion. "Watch these kids, Orion," he said. "IF one of them even has a scratch, I'll know who to exact my vengence on."  
  
And then Draco levitated his once-father out of the room, down to the dungeon that Dumbledore had turned into a designated prison.  
  
After dropping off Lucius, Draco ran to find Hermione.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
Hermione was in the midst of the battle, standing next to Harry, fending off Death Eaters as he battled Voldemort.  
  
She was dueling Avery when a curse mad eit's way past her defenses, and she fell over. Before her eyes closed, she saw a blinding white light.  
  
"Ah," she murmured, "he's done it."  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
Draco fell to the ground, arms over his eyes as the light flashed and then was gone.  
  
Spots dancing in his eyes, he made his way towards the small bundle of light that reamined.  
  
He saw Hermione lying on the ground, and ran to her.  
  
'Oh no,' he thought. 'She's dead!'  
  
But, when he touched her hand, it was warm. She was only unconsious.  
  
He picked her up, and carried her through the throng that surrounded Harry and Ron, who were being cheered.  
  
Making his way to the infirmary, he smiled at Hermione and told her about all the things that had happened. At one point her eyes fluttered open, but she remained alseep.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
Two Weeks Later  
  
Two weeks had gone by and Draco sat by Hermione's bed, watching her sleep, hoping that she would wake up.  
  
The one half-hour that he was gone to use the bathroom was when she woke.  
  
"Where's Harry?" she yelled, as the nurse bustled in. "Is he all right? What about Ron?"  
  
Even though Draco was two corridors and a classroom away, there was no way he couldn't hear Hermione. I'd like to put because love knows no bounds, but it's really because she was really, really loud.  
  
He rushed to her side, and smiled so wide he thought his face would break.  
  
"Hermione!" he said, pulling her to him. "You're awake!"  
  
"Well, that is obvious," she said, muffled against his chest. "Could you be so kind as to loosen your grip? I can't breathe."  
  
Draco loosened his grip, and smiled down at her. "I'm so glad you're awake," he said simply, before kissing her like there was no tomorrow.  
  
Even Madam Pomfrey couldn't seperate them. She had to call for Dumbledore, who smiled, and said, "Oh, Poppy, let them enjoy each other. It has been a while, after all."  
  
THe nurse sniffed her assent, and she and Dumbledore left the infirmary.  
  
"I didn't think you'd ever wake up," said Draco, a bit amazed. "Madam Pomfry didn't know either."  
  
Hermione smiled. "Well, I'm glad I did. Where's Harry and Ron?"  
  
Draco grinned nastily. "Professor Snape, knowing how much one can love someone, has granted me a reprieve from classes until my lady love is fully healed."  
  
Hermione cocked an eyebrow. "How would Snape know how much one can love someone?" Her eyes widened. "Oh, no-"  
  
Draco grinned wider. "That's right. Ol' Snapey has a girlfriend. Unfortunately, she was knocked out in the battle, but he's been beside her every second of the waking day."  
  
"Who?" breathed Hermione.  
  
Draco drew the curtain surrounding her bed aside to reveal Prof. Snape sitting beside Sybill Trelawny's bed.  
  
"Oh, my," giggled Hermione.  
  
"Indeed," replied Draco, sagely.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
Graduation Day  
  
Hermione was, of course, the valedictorian for her class. She gave a charming speech on how much they'd learned and experianced and how they'd made life-long friends. Then she yelled, "WOOHOO!!! We did it!" And all her composure was ruined.  
  
Draco was in his stark black robes and cap, leaning in the doorway to the Entrance Hall, watching Hermione mingle. She glanced over at him, and made her excuses to the person she happened to be talking to, which was Orion.  
  
"What?" she asked, seeing Draco playful expression.  
  
"Come with me," he said, taking her hand and leading her out to by the lake.  
  
"What?" she asked again, wondering harder now.  
  
"Now," said Draco, pacing, "I know you might say no, but I've got to try." He came to stand in front of her, got down on one knee and pulled out a small black velvet box. "Hermione Granger, will you be my wife?" And opened the box revealing a platium ring with a large, square-cut diamond on a bed of black velvet. "We've been through a lot together, and I've fallen in love with you. But if you'd rather not..." he trailed off, taking her silence as a refusel. "Well, I tried." And started to walk away.  
  
"No, Draco," said Hermione, grabbing his sleeve. "I was just a bit shell- shocked. Of course I want to marry you!"  
  
Draco's face split into a large grin. He pulled Hermione to him and kissed the living daylights out of her. Almost.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
Back At The Castle  
  
Ron and Harry were watching this and had gotten a bit sullen.  
  
"Aw, crap," said Ron. "Now our girlfriends will want us to propose, too."  
  
"Yeah, I love Ginny, but I don't want to marry her," said Harry.  
  
Ron's eyes narrowed. "What're you saying, Potter? You won't buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?"  
  
Harry backed off, eyeing Ron. "No, just that I'm not ready for marrige yet."  
  
Ron squinted at him. "Right then. But if you hurt my sister, I swear that I'll..."  
  
"I know Ron," said Harry, patting his shoulder. "I know."  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
May 14, Outside Draco and Hermione's rooms  
  
Draco had already gone down to breakfast, as he had beaten Hermione into the shower. So, she was a little late.  
  
She stepped out of the portrait passage, and into the corridor outside the Meeting Room, and ran into Ewan McAlpin.  
  
She hadn't seen him on account of playing with her engagement ring, and making the sun make it sparkle.  
  
"Oof," she said, pushing herself off him. "Ewan! What're you doing here?"  
  
Ewna took her hand, and looked pleadingly into her eyes. "Please, Hermione, you've got to give me a second chance, please..."  
  
"Now, what did I say at the ball, McAlpin?" asked a cold, drawling voice. They turned to see Draco leaning against a pillar, looking at Ewan. "Didn't I tell you that if you bothered Hermione again I'd have to beat the crap out of you?"  
  
"Yeah, and he promised for us, too," said two other voices. From behind Draco stepped Harry and Ron.  
  
"You might want to go down to breakfast, 'Mione," suggested Draco, rolling up his sleeves, and shedding his cloak.  
  
"Right love," she said, flashing her ring in Ewan's face, she went over and kissed Draco good morning. "See you down there..."  
  
And then, Draco, Harry, and Ron got to business fighting Ewan.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
June 31st, Malfoy Manor  
  
Hermione stood outside of the ballroom in her white gown, fidgiting.  
  
"Oh, Lav," she said, turning to her friend, "am I doing the right thing?"  
  
Lavender, who had heard this eight times already that day, sighed and rolled her eyes. "Yes, dear. You love him, he loves you, get married, have kids, and live happily ever after." This didn't assure Hermione. Lavender sighed again, and took Hermione's hands. "Look. You two are so lovey-dovey with each other it makes the rest of us sick. So, in conclusion, you are doing the exact right thing." She glared at the nervous bride. "In fact, if you don't, I will personally hunt you down and force you to marry him, you hear me?"  
  
"Really?" said Hermione, sniffing.  
  
"Really," said Lavender, smiling. "Now, the march is starting, I've got to go."  
  
Hermione's father, David, came over. "Well, love, you ready?" he said, hugging his little girl one last time.  
  
"Yeah, Dad, I am," she said, slipping her arm through his.  
  
The doors opened, and Hermione stepped through them.  
  
The walk down the aisle seemed an age. She didn't even look at her feet, she was so caught up in Draco's eyes, as he beamed at her.  
  
'We've changed so much since the beginning of seventh year,' thought Hermione. 'Hard to believe we're even in love. But, we are.'  
  
David lifted the veil and kissed her cheek, handing her over to Draco. Smiling at his soon-to-be son-in-law, he said, "If you hurt my daughter, magic or no, I'll kill you."  
  
"Sir, I would never hurt Hermione," said Draco, honesty filling his eyes. "Never."  
  
There was a loud sob from the audience. Hermione saw Narcissa crying on Remus Lupin's shoulder, and smiled.  
  
They turned to the minister, and the ceremony begun.  
  
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of God," said the minister. "To join Draco Xaiver Malfoy and Hermione Anne Granger together." He looked at Draco. "Draco Xaiver Malfoy, do you take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold in sickness and in health?"  
  
"I do," said Draco, slipping a platinum band with tiny diamonds imbedded onto Hermione's left-hand ring-finger.  
  
The minister looked at Hermione. "And do you, Hermione Anne Granger take this man to be your lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold in sickness and in health?"  
  
"I do," said Hermione, slipping a matching platinum band--minus the diamonds, Draco thought they were to feminine--onto Draco's left-hand ring- finger.  
  
"Then, by the power vested in me by the church of England and the Ministry of Magic, I pronounce you to be man and wife." He paused for a moment. "Well, go on, kiss the bride, then!"  
  
Draco kissed Hermione very sweetly. When he broke off, he smiled at her. "I love you, you know that?"  
  
"Of course, love," she said, and kissed him fiercely.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
March 14th, London Hospital  
  
"Push!" said the doctor.  
  
"C'mon, love, push!" said Draco, holding Hermione's hand.  
  
She pulled him closer to her face. "You get pregnant and then go into labor and then you may tell me when to-Aaaa!" Clearly, the hormones were driving Hermione batty.  
  
"One more push should do it," said the doctor, glancing up at Hermione. "Mrs. Malfoy, come on!"  
  
Hermione gritted her teeth and pushed. A squealing cry split the air. A second later, another one did, too.  
  
"Well, paint me blue and call me Lord Admiral Nelson," said the doctor, mopping his brow with a sponge. "Twins!"  
  
"What?!?!" said Hermione and Draco at the same time. Hermione glared at Draco. "This is all your fault, you know!"  
  
"That's right, dear," said Draco, patting her arm absently. He was looking at his son and daughter. "Twins. Imagine that." He looked at Hermione. "How 'bout you name the middle name of the boy and the first of the girl, and I'll name the first of the boy and the middle of the girl?"  
  
"Ok." Hermione glared at the doctors. "Now, you give me my babies, or else!" The doctors handed the babies over hurridly.  
  
Hermione smiled at their babies. Draco picked up the bay and grinned. "I think you should be Alexander," he said, tickling the chin of his son lightly. The tiny form gurgled. He grinned.  
  
Hermione laughed at her husband. "Well, if he's Alexander," she told her daughter, "then you shall be Abigail, my dear."  
  
They traded babies.  
  
"Well, Abigail," said her father, "your middle name shall be Rose." He smiled down at her. "After, all we should keep up the tradition of females being named after flowers, shouldn't we?"  
  
Hermione smiled at Alex. "Well, Alex, dear. What should Mummy name you? What about Rupert? I rather like that. Alexander Rupert Malfoy." She looked over at Draco. "Oh, my. We've just given them the same initials!" And laughed.  
  
"Well, who cares?" said Draco.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
March 21st, Malfoy Manor  
  
Draco and Hermione stood in the doorway of their children's nursery. The smiled at their children, who truely were a miricle, after six and a quarter years of hating one another.  
  
Turning, they went back to their room, and went to bed. They didn't know what would happen in the next eleven years, but it would surely be fun.  
  
"I love you," said Hermione, turning off her lamp.  
  
Draco rolled over to her, and put his arms around her middle. "And, I love you, too." He flicked his lamp off with a wave of his wand, because what he had planned didn't need any light.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
A/N: Well? Did you like it? I hope you did. Should I write about Draco and Hermione's kids after I finish my other story? Tell me in your reviews. Do you like the names Alexander Rupert Malfoy and Abigail Rose Malfoy? I actually didn't mean for the initials to be the same. They just ended up being like that. I really hope you liked it, cause I'm really happy with how I ended it. Anyway, please review!!!!!!!!! 


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